IN November 2021, the then Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ramiz Raja revealed his plans of stealing a march on the country’s Asian rivals by starting the first women’s franchise league. We got our first glimpse of the Women’s League last October. With its dates earmarked for March this year, the four-team event was set to run alongside the Pakistan Super League. But late last year, PCB’s leadership changed, and this effectively, led to a change of plans. Three women’s exhibition matches are set to be played this month with the league slated for later this year. But even if the Women’s League had begun according to the original schedule, it would very likely have been trumped by India’s Women’s Premier League. The women’s version of the Indian Premier League began on Saturday, with top players from across the world part of its inaugural edition. Pakistan’s cricketers of course are missing out but the exhibition matches slated for March 8, 10 and 11 will see 10 foreign players, including South Africa’s Laura Woldvaart — one of the stars of the team’s run to the final of the Women’s T20 World Cup last month. The contingent of foreign players, divided into two teams, also includes Chamari Athapaththu and Laura Delany, who captained Sri Lanka and Ireland respectively at the World Cup.

Pakistan returned a dismal performance at the T20 World Cup, winning just one out of four matches — a performance indicative of the fact that the women’s game is in need of a boost. Long-serving skipper Bismah Maroof has stepped down, calling for a new leader ahead of the next cycle of events. Across the border, the Women’s Premier League will help Indian players build on their performance at the World Cup, where they reached the semi-finals. It will also promote their players, raise their profile and bring in more money to improve them further. Women’s cricket in Pakistan needs a similar shot in the arm.

Published in Dawn, March 5th, 2023