LAHORE: As many as 42 cricketers will be in action in the Rs1.7 million National Triangular T20 Women’s Cricket Championship, being played at the Pindi Cricket Stadium, Rawalpindi from Nov 22 to Dec 1.

The tournament was originally scheduled to start from Nov 20 but due to the protest organised by a political party in Rawalpindi and Islamabad, the uncertainty was prevailing, which forced the PCB to defer the start for two days.

The three participating teams are PCB Blasters, PCB Challengers and PCB Dynamites.

Surprisingly, the names of two prominent Pakistan players Ghulam Fatima (Sialkot) and Soha Fatima (Gujranwala) were not included in any of the three teams. Soha was a reserve wicket-keeper of Pakistan women’s team while and Ghulam Fatima has represented Pakistan as leg-spinner.

Talking to Dawn, both Ghulam and Soha said they were surprised over not seeing their names among the 42 probables from which three teams were selected.

“I am disheartened, I don’t deserve such kind of treatment that I am not even in the list of 42 probables despite the fact that I have represented Pakistan in the past,” regretted Ghulam Fatima at the LCCA ground where she took some coaching tips from South African leg-spinner of Pakistani origin Imran Tahir on Friday.

“At least trials should have been held to select 42 players so that new foreign [Pakistan women team’s] coach could also see the talent available in the country,” she added.

“Okay it may be right that the selectors are not satisfied with my past performances but then how as many as 11 players who have not even played cricket at any domestic cricket are included in the list,” she asked.

Ghulam Fatima thanked Imran for giving her useful tips which would definitely bring further improvement in her bowling.

“Yes, I have noted some flaws in my bowling for which Imran Tahir has given me useful tips and now I will try my best to overcome these shortcomings,” she said.

Meanwhile, a national women cricket coach Irfanullah Khan disclosed the names of those 11 women who have not played domestic cricket at any proper platform but were included in the list of 42.

They are Khadija Chishti, Huraina Sajjad, Noreen Yaqoob, Saima Malik, Anoosha Nasir, Subhana Tariq, Najiha Alvi, Masooma Zehra, Aima Saleem, Syeda Asma and Aroob Shah.

While reckoning the axing of both Ghulam and Soha as great injustice to these players, Irfanullah also questioned the capability of Rameen Shahmim who was named the captain of Dynamites despite not having a confirmed place in the Pakistan team.

Meanwhile, Soha was also surprised over not finding her name in the list since she had been selected as reserve wicket-keeper of the national team in the past.

“At least my name should have been in the list of 42 players; it has really disappointed me,” she said.

Moreover, according to a PCB press release, PCB Blasters, PCB Challengers, and PCB Dynamites will feature in the national T20 event to be played on a double league system, with the top two teams qualifying for the final.

The PCB has increased the match fee to 100 per cent, besides doubling the prize money to Rs1 million for the winners and Rs500,000 for the runners-up. The player of the championship will receive Rs50,000 while the best player of each match will earn Rs20,000.

Aliya Riaz and Ramin Shamim will captain PCB Blasters and PCB Dynamites, respectively.

Championship schedule (all matches begin at 12:30pm):

Nov 22: PCB Blasters vs PCB Dynamites

Nov 23: PCB Blasters vs PCB Challengers

Nov 25: PCB Dynamites vs PCB Challengers

Nov 26: PCB Dynamites vs PCB Blasters

Nov 28: PCB Challengers vs PCB Blasters

Nov 29: PCB Challengers vs PCB Dynamites

Dec 1: Final

Squads:

Challengers: Muneeba Ali (captain), Ayesha Naseem, Aiman Anwar, Bismah Maroof, Fatima Sana, Kaynat Hafeez, Nida Dar, Saba Nazir, Sadaf Shams, Sadia Iqbal, Saima Malik, Syeda Aroob Shah, Syeda Asma Amin (wicket-keeper), Waheeda Akhter

Blasters: Aliya Riaz (captain), Anam Amin, Anoosha Nasir, Hafsa Amjad, Huraina Sajjad, Javeria Khan, Jaweria Rauf, Khadija Chishty, Maham Tariq, Natalia Parvaiz, Noreen Yaqoob, Sidra Amin, Sidra Nawaz (wicket-keeper), Tuba Hassan

Dynamites: Rameen Shamim (captain), Aima Saleem, Ayesha Zafar, Diana Baig, Hafsa Khalid, Iram Javed, Kainat Imtiaz, Nahida Khan, Najiha Alvi (wicket-keeper), Nashra Sundhu, Omaima Sohail, Subhana Tariq, Syeda Masooma Zehra Fatima, Umme Hani.

Published in Dawn, November 22nd, 2020