Four matches, four defeats is not exactly how I imagined our Asia Cup campaign would begin. Quite simply, our batting, bowling and fielding hasn't been up to the levels that I would expect considering the ability of players in our team.
We always knew that it would be a challenge to take on the likes of India and Sri Lanka, who are two of the best sides in the world, but we shouldn't really being losing to Bangladesh. However, we have been really impressed with how they have taken the playing at this level and they should be congratulated on the impact that they have on this tournament in their inaugural appearance.
The main positive to take from the event so far was our performance against Sri Lanka in our return match. In all honesty, we probably should have won but once again our batting let us down. We know that we need to eliminate this habit of losing wickets in quick succession if we are to have an impact at the ICC Women's World Cup next year.
One of the things I have taken away from this tournament is that often games can be turned by big performances by two or three players, but unfortunately we haven't been producing enough of these during the event.
From a personal perspective I was determined to have an impact in our game against Sri Lanka and was really pleased with my four wickets and a half-century, although I would obviously have preferred it if we had won. It was a wonderful feeling to score my first ODI fifty for my country, although I wish I could have gone on to a bigger score and guided my side to victory.
Although confidence isn't as high as it could be, the team is hoping to end our campaign on a positive and hopefully gain revenge on Bangladesh.
The experience gained from playing a series of one-day matches at international level has been extremely beneficial and we are only going to get better if we keep playing international cricket on a more regular basis.
While it is important to practice hard, improve our technique and maintain our high levels of fitness, there is nothing quite like match practice and time in the middle to improve our game.
Only then, when you are in match-day situation, can you gain experience of reacting to the pressures of a game and how that can impact on your shot selection when you are bating.
Obviously there is a challenge of facing top-quality international bowlers, particularly the Indian girls, who are so accurate. But the girls are used to facing quality male bowlers in the nets so they shouldn't have to worry about pace for example.
The hectic match schedule hasn't really allowed us to do much away from the cricket, although it has been fun getting to know the Bangladesh girls back at the team hotel.
We also have to be careful about going out at night as there are lots of animals in the surrounding area. I don't have any great ambitions to see a snake while I am here.
We will have a day off today before regrouping ahead of our next fixture where I hope the improvements in performance that we illustrated against Sri Lanka will continue.
Urooj, take these defeats as a learning step. You should atleast be proud that Pakistan is being represented at this level in a prominent manner. There is always room for improvement. Even for the best of the teams. All the best for future endeavors.
Posted by: Kamran Yousaf at May 7, 2008 7:49 PM
Even though Pak Woment team is loosing, but we are still with you that atleast you are trying, keep it up but i do want to mention couple of things that as you said in your column too that our batting lets us down and i personally feel that our bowling is alot better than our batting so may be instead of chasing a score why not try to defend whatever our team scores atleast we will have a hope that bowlers can or may turn the match but obviously you know better and it depends on the wicket and other factors too, but may be keep that in mind as well and the other thing i wanted to mention was we really need few hitters may be not like Afridi but whatever the available talent is or the management can groom someone in the camps particularly for this thing.
In the end, best of luck and i wish that our team do improve in all three fields and regardless of the result of the match (even though, victory is victory), WE are with you.
Posted by: antara at May 7, 2008 7:54 PM
good luck urooj! i'll root for a pakistani women's team against an indian men's team anyday! :)
Posted by: Imran Khan at May 7, 2008 8:18 PM
As from you name, Urooj, it seems you see in high, you want to have high values, I appreciate your high spirit to win the battle. Dont lose hope, this is the only thing that leads us to the victories. Loosing a match isn't a thing, but one should learn from the errors and mistakes from previous. "Past predicts the future". If we dont learn from past,it means we are looser. I appreciate your spirit to win the games, to win the tournament. I also request you please teach to team members how to win by having high morale with high confidence (not over confidence) . I congrate you making a 1st fifty in international match. I pray, you will make much more than that a little one.
Dont go outside in the night, not snakes but also there can be something who can steel our asset of cricket.
With all much prayers for future contests to have heads high with proud in victories!
Proud to be a pakistani!
Bravo!
Posted by: Hammad Siddiqi, Cincinnati Ohio at May 7, 2008 9:45 PM
Chin up Urooj! As a huge fan of Pakistan cricket, I was delighted when you ladies qualified for the world cup but like yourself and no doubt every Pakistani, I have been dismayed by the succession of losses. However, I'm not a fair weather fan and I believe you have the talent and class in this team to win matches; so COME ON LADIES, DUST YOURSELVES OFF AND LET'S KICK SOME ASS!! GO PAKISTAN!!
Posted by: Faisal Shafiq at May 8, 2008 6:26 PM
I found your article very insightful on womens cricket in Pakistan and how it is developing. While losing 4/4 is not a good result , I believe womens cricket in Pakistan is now headed in the right direction and considerable strides have been made in the last two year. Hopefully one day our womens team will start winning games on a regular basis.
Posted by: maani from north cyprus at May 10, 2008 6:05 AM
hey captain! i love ur attitude n ur guls attitude.look there is nothing like trying n trying hard.look whether u people lose or win doesnt matter for me .the thing which i want is to fite n fite hard.rest leave to Allah.look dere will b more bad times than this never think dat u cannot come out of dat.but trust me i m dire heart fan of pak cricket .the country i live has no coverage for cricket so weneva pak win(mmen/guls) i start dance i have no control ova ma emotions.but just trust i wud b da last guy on earth who will lose hope in u guys.put up ur best leave the rest.wish u the very best not just cricket bcoz ur making us proud by representing in tha world as embassadors as everybody is thinking just bad but u people r still showing tha world the briter side of pak.congrats.dua go.....imran
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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