Life has been absolutely crazy since we qualified for the ICC Women’s World Cup following our performances in Stellenbosch, South Africa in February.
The difference in interest from the media has been absolutely amazing and there seems to be a growing recognition from people within our country that there is a Pakistan women’s cricket team as well and that is a massive step forward for us.
When we arrived back in Pakistan at 4AM from South Africa, it seemed like every major news channel was there to greet us which was a really nice surprise. My only worry was how I looked on camera as I had been sat on a plane for almost a whole day, as we had flown back via Johannesburg and Dubai!
My phone is constantly ringing with people wanting to do interviews for television, radio and newspapers, which is really nice, although it has been a real challenge trying to balance my commitments as not only have I been busy with my cricket but I have also been trying to revise for my final dentistry exams which finally finished last week.
We haven’t really had a break from cricket since we came back as we have played in our domestic competition and also had some training camps to help the squad prepare for the challenges that lie ahead.
Although we were delighted to qualify for the ICC Women’s World Cup, we know that we have to work on a number of different areas of our game if we are going to be able to compete with the very best at the event.
In particular, we have been focusing on how the top six batsmen can better build their innings and stop giving their wicket away cheaply, as we know we can’t afford to do that against the very best teams. Everybody in our side has the ability to do well at the top level, we just need to apply ourselves better.
To help us do this we have been playing a number of 50-over practice games, to help us build our concentration levels, although we have also done a number of 25-over scenarios as well to improve the speed at which we score runs.
We attended a training camp in Karachi and all the girls have really enjoyed having the opportunity to watch the Indian Premier League on television in the evening.
Some of the crowds have been amazing and it has been fantastic to watch some of the world’s best players score at such amazing rates. I think all of the girls will look to learn something and try and apply it to their own games, although I am not sure I will be able to hit the ball quite as hard as Brendon McCullum!
Knowing that we are going to have the opportunity to play at the same grounds as some of these players, on the same day, at the ICC World Twenty20 2009 is really exciting and a great opportunity to promote the women’s game.
Hopefully events like that, along with the Women’s Asia Cup and the ICC Women’s World Cup, will help to continue build our profile and attract more sponsorship to the sport as this is something that is needed to grow the game.
But for now, our focus is very much on doing everything we can to be ready for our upcoming event and I look forward to the challenges that lie ahead in Sri Lanka.
fantastic! women's cricket needs to be developed and through that it can be grown further!
Posted by: amer husain at May 2, 2008 1:07 AM
All the best for the future to the Pakistan Women's Cricket Team.
Posted by: Hassan at May 3, 2008 3:27 AM
Best of luck ladies :)
Posted by: Sumona at May 4, 2008 2:44 PM
You played well, girls! but unfortunately our girls defeated u.. but no worries.. work hard n u'll improve..
Posted by: sakeer at May 7, 2008 8:02 PM
great job by girls,
Posted by: Gerald at May 7, 2008 8:18 PM
Ladies,
Please incorporate the term, "BATTER", not batsmen. Baseball has long used this term. Just as we in North America (Canada) use the term firefighter and not firemen. "ACTOR" female or male. Thanks. Gerald CANADA
Posted by: An ILLuS|On at May 8, 2008 4:33 AM
goodluck with all of your future endevours Urooj..best of luck to you & to your team..have faith on yourself & keep on giving your best...cheers:)
Posted by: Eric M at May 9, 2008 10:21 PM
Great point Gerald. A batter would be much better term in women cricket...well in any cricket than for ladies to call themselves batsmen.
Posted by: mohsin at May 10, 2008 2:21 AM
keep at it girls! we're rootin 4 u
Posted by: Sara at May 16, 2008 6:32 AM
Keep it up! You guys are doing a great job (even after the terrible outing in srilanka)...im sure you went through a lot of hardships to get to the international phase...keep up the hard work
Mithali Raj, India's former captain, has been on the international circuit for a decade. In August 2006, she led India to their first-ever Test and series win in England and capped off the year by winning the Asia Cup - the second time in 12 months - without dropping a game. India, under her captaincy, also reached the World Cup final in 2005. Now, as one of the senior members of the side, and the premier batsman, a lot will be riding on her for the two World Cups - 50-over and Twenty20 - that India will play in 2009.
Urooj Mumtaz managed to juggle a course in dentistry along with captaining Pakistan. Their most recent triumph was qualifying for the World Cup next year and the 22-year old Urooj will lead a young team to Australia in hope of creating a favourable impression of the Pakistan women's team among the other sides as well as back home. A legspinner, she has a hat-trick against Zimbabwe.
Cri-zelda Brits became South Africa’s captain at the age of 23, standing in for Shandre Fritze in the home series against Pakistan in 2007. She followed this by captaining the side to a 3-0 series whitewash against the Netherlands as well as winning the first-ever Test between the two sides by 159 runs. In 2008 she scored her maiden ODI hundred and led South Africa to a spot in the World Cup after beating Pakistan in the Qualifiers final in Stellenbosch. She also coaches the Northwest women's team, based in Potchefstroom, and runs her own academy.
Shelley Nitschke combines playing for Australia and her state with working in cricket, as a school officer. A useful spinner, her batting is also worth talking about – she has developed into a handy allrounder. Her major achievements to date are winning the 2005 World Cup, taking 7 for 24 against England in Kidderminster in 2005 and being nominated for the ICC Women's Player of the Year in 2006-07. Although she has played netball, softball and basketball, cricket has always been her stand-out sport.
Ebony Rainford-Brent made history as one of eight England players to be handed a Chance to Shine coaching contract, allowing her flexibility around training. A top-order batsman, she fought back from what doctors thought was a career-killing back injury and could one day bowl again – calling her determined is an understatement. She is on the Surrey Academy and her Super 4s side is Diamonds. Proficient in basketball and athletics, she settled for playing cricket … and the drums.
Haidee Tiffen has played for New Zealand for more than ten years and is now their captain, having begun her career with Otago Under-21s before heading to Canterbury. She has played representational hockey, basketball and rugby – but cricket is her passion and won out over New Zealand junior hockey. She is particularly proud of winning the World Cup in 2000, reaching the 100-ODI milestone and being skipper. Her experience also includes playing for Sussex for two winters and she was also part of the first female academy in Lincoln. Somehow she also finds time to teach Health and PE at Hillmorton High School.
Isobel Joyce,a class bat with a steely mentality, comes from a family full of cricketers - twin sister Cecilia plays alongside her for Ireland and brother Dom for the men’s national team, while another brother, Ed, plays for England and Middlesex. Her first half-century came against a strong New Zealand attack in Dublin in 2004 and her figures of 4 for 20 helped her side beat Scotland by six wickets in the European Championship in 2001, where Ireland won all their three matches. Her 46 against Netherlands in the summer of 2007 helped to maintain her place in the World Cup qualifiers in South Africa. She was in outstanding form with both and ball during the tournament, scoring 148 runs at 37 and taking 10 wickets at an average of 7. She ran out five Pakistani players in Ireland's first match, before earning two successive Player-of-the-Match awards against Scotland and then Zimbabwe, against whom she scored 70 and took 4 for 10. She was named captain for their next series, against West Indies, after Heather Whelan pulled out because she was expecting.
Nadine George has been a regular for West Indies since her debut in 1999. She first led the side on their tour of Europe in June-July 2008, when West Indies thrashed Ireland and Netherlands while putting up a respectable performance against England. Nadine combines playing for West Indies and her national team, St.Lucia, with her day job as a Sergeant in the Police Marine Unit of the Royal St.Lucia Police Force. A left-hand batsman and wicketkeeper, Nadine says the highlights of her career are receiving an MBE at Buckingham Palace in 2005, being the first West Indies woman cricketer to score a century in a Test (in Pakistan in 2004), playing in the World Cup in South Africa (2005), and playing club cricket in Australia in 2006. Nadine also plays netball and volleyball and loves the marine environment and is passionate about diving. She is a qualified open water diver and during her working hours captains a 65 and 82 ft vessel. Her motto in life is "with hard work and dedication one can achieve".
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