There have been many exciting developments for our sport in recent years, but I have to admit it is great news that there will soon be an ODI Player Rankings system for women’s cricket.
The rankings will spark additional interest in the women’s game, especially when there will be some high profile events in 2009 such as the Women’s World Cup.
I am sure there will plenty of competition amongst players from different teams to improve their own ranking and I am sure it will occasionally get mentioned in the dressing room as well, but I think a bit of good-natured rivalry will be beneficial for the sport.
I think the rankings will be particularly important in countries like Pakistan, where we don’t receive as much publicity and attention as other teams.
It will be nice to think that people will follow the No. 1 batsman and bowler in the world, in the same way that supporters are fanatical about the player rankings for men. I can't wait until October when we will find out where all the players are rated.
Hopefully the rankings will provide us with an opportunity to raise the profile of the leading players and use the publicity to encourage more girls to take up the sport. It would be really nice to act as role models to girls who are interested in playing the game.
Preparations for the World Cup are going well – I can’t believe that it will only be six months to our first game against India. We have just gathered in Lahore for a batting and bowling training camp for which 28 players are in attendance.
During the camp the selectors will pick the squad for the home series against West Indies, after which I believe the squad will remain reasonably settled in our build-up to the World Cup.
I am really looking forward to having the opportunity to play cricket with the national team on a regular basis, for after the West Indies series we will be taking on Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in a tri-series.
Then there will be more training camps before taking on an Indian state side in Pakistan. After that I’ll have to give some thought to packing my bags for Australia.
Posted by: Muhammed Salman at September 4, 2008 6:51 AM
I fully agree with Urooj's article that female players ranking will help us(Pakistan)in a long way, not only it will encourage current bunch of players to improve their game and bring honor to our country but to others girls to actively take cricket as a profession.
I wish Urooj and her players BEST of LUCK for upcoming tournaments and particularly for getting in top 10 players of the world.
Regards,
Salman
Posted by: shray at September 4, 2008 10:02 AM
INDIA should be on top
Posted by: Zeenat at September 4, 2008 10:34 AM
All the best Urooj for the teams training and next years world cup! You make us proud! :)
Posted by: PRASAD ROBERT at September 4, 2008 11:43 AM
No matter who it is, the best will be No.1.
I hope M. Raj will be one to watch...
As An Indian I wish our team the very best
Posted by: Syed Naumanuddin Hassan at September 4, 2008 12:57 PM
India on top!? Give me a break! The only way India will be on top is when its media portrays the false strength with a lot of hype; as they always do! One day they are kings/queens and the next day beggars!
Anyway, I wish Urooj and her team best of luck and all we want is a good fight! Don't go down without a fight!
Posted by: black_hulker at September 5, 2008 2:06 PM
Pak's got the cutest woman capitan so it will be on top
Posted by: Avi at September 5, 2008 2:39 PM
I think Mithali Raj is cuter. So India will be on top.
Posted by: Tahir Ahmad at September 5, 2008 8:51 PM
I would be more than happy to see Pakistani's in the top 10, both bowling and batting. Good luck on the world cup campaign
Posted by: Birdie at September 11, 2008 5:03 AM
Who cares to be honest.
Posted by: Talha at September 15, 2008 9:17 PM
I hope my dear pakistani girls make pakistan proud.The men are doing shit lately so hope the girls do their best and win us the World Cup and few great girls in the top10 will be fantastic
I m praying girls...lots of love and the best from me,Holland
Hopefully it will be showed on tv too would love to watch
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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