Women's World Twenty20 : Pakistan lose to India

Dubai: While the world watches the ICC World Twenty20 in England, it overlooks a similar but equally important tournament taking place right before its eyes.

On Saturday, Pakistan and India played each other but the match did not attract the same hype and media scrutiny that is normally expected when these legendary foes play one another.

That is due to the fact that it was an ICC Women's World Twenty20 match.

India beat Pakistan but, for once, the stakes were greater than just winning.

In general, the men's cricket team have received overwhelming attention in Pakistan when compared to the women.

To prove this one has only to search Wikipedia for "Pakistan National Cricket Team". All you will find is a paltry paragraph that mentions the existence of the women's team - it is clear where the nation's major support lies.

This is not uncommon in sports. Whether men play with greater skill when compared to their female counterparts is up for debate, but as a rule more sports fans tune in to watch the men play.

However, when the Pakistani women play, they take part for more than just glory and sportsmanship. They have had to overcome a lifetime of restraint and disapproval to even step onto the cricket field.

Women playing sports is not celebrated by most in Pakistan. Their first cricket team was founded in 1997, a full 21 years after India's, under the patronage of the now redundant International Women's Cricket Council (IWCC). Even now, Pakistani women face great aminosity when they choose a career in cricket. The women's team receives little marketing and there is no television coverage.

Hence, due to limited sponsorship, the players earn very low wages compared to the handsome pay packets earned by their male counterparts.

The majority of players on the Pakistan women's team are young and inexperienced. There is also a high turnover of players as many regularly give up the game either to get married or to move on to something else.

Despite these hardships and the constant criticism levelled at them, the Pakistani women cricketers stand strong and take to the field to play a game they enjoy.

However, when they play cricket, they play for the right to choose their future and the right to have equal rights in a nation that has faced issues about discrimination against women.

The Pakistan women's team may have lost the game to their Indian counterparts on Saturday, but they are still winners by a long way to the hundreds of women in Pakistan who look up to them as a symbol of independence that they hope the future will hold.

Do you think enough importance is given to women's cricket? Who is to blame for their low popularity?

Three cheers to Paki woman's cricket team for setting such a tremendous example of equality of women in sports. I hope that sponsors in Pakistan do soon recognise the enthuthiasism
Farhan
Dubai,UAE
Posted: June 15, 2009, 11:03

As long as gender gap is not reduced, especially in asian countries women cannot achieve their righteous goals whether it is in Cricket, Education, Employment or any other sport. Everyone should support and encourage the right cause irrespective their gender.
C.P. Raju
Dubai,UAE
Posted: June 15, 2009, 08:34