Wahab Riaz, a former Pakistani fast bowler and current mentor of the women’s team, has urged the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to establish a women’s T20 league similar to the successful Pakistan Super League (PSL). Riaz emphasized the importance of providing more exposure to international competitions for the development of the national women’s cricket team.
He expressed that despite the abundance of talent among players, the lack of opportunities against stronger opponents has been hindering their progress. Riaz highlighted the success of the PSL in boosting cricket in Pakistan and emphasized the need for similar platforms for women cricketers to enhance their skills and experience by competing against top-tier teams and players.
Riaz, who is currently supervising the team’s training camp in Karachi in preparation for the upcoming series against Zimbabwe, stressed the significance of the bilateral tour scheduled from April 29 to May 15. The series will include three T20 Internationals and three One Day Internationals (ODIs), marking the first visit of a Zimbabwean women’s team to Pakistan.
He suggested that introducing a domestic franchise league with international players could significantly elevate the standards of women’s cricket in the country. Riaz also called on the PCB to facilitate more opportunities for players to participate in foreign T20 leagues, allowing them to learn and improve by competing alongside international stars.
Regarding the upcoming series against Zimbabwe, Riaz described it as a crucial assignment, with the ODI matches contributing to the ICC Women’s Championship rankings and the T20 matches serving as preparation for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in England later this year.
Despite acknowledging the challenges of a tough group in the World Cup, Riaz emphasized the importance of self-belief over focusing on the competition. He highlighted the improvements in fitness and fielding, attributing enhanced performances to better fitness levels and ongoing work on mental strength and game awareness.
Riaz underlined the need for stronger domestic structures and increased international exposure to elevate the standard of women’s cricket in Pakistan. He noted that limited match exposure compared to the men’s team has impacted decision-making and confidence at the international level.