Lahore, 3 February 2023 (TDI): The Australian High Commission and Kinnaird College for Women with the support of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) hosted the 4th Girls’ Cricket Cup at the Kinnaird College Lahore, on Thursday.
The Australian High Commissioner to Pakistan, Neil Hawkins patronized the event. The initiative aims to promote gender equality and empower girls through cricket. Top coaches led the girls on a three-day coaching clinic to prepare for the tournament.
Since 2016, the Australian High Commission has supported girls’ cricket in Pakistan. Notably, the 4th Girls’ Cricket Cup involved teams from four schools and sports institutes.
These include Government Shuhda-e APS Memorial Girls, Government Central Model School, Government Tehzeeb-ul-Binat Model Girls School, and Kinnaird Cricket Academy.
Remarks by participants
Australia’s High Commissioner congratulated the girls and schools on their participation and thanked Kinnaird and PCB for their valuable support.
Hawkins stated, “Sport can help tear down barriers and stereotypes. Every time these girls hit a boundary or take a catch, they’re building their confidence and inspiring others.”
“We are very grateful for the participation of first-class women’s cricket coaches and members of the Pakistan National Women’s Team, who took time out to build the girls’ skills and encourage them to push beyond the boundaries.” The High Commissioner continued.
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The Head of Pakistan women’s cricket, Tania Mallick addressed the audience. She said, “It’s great to see young girls coming forward and making this tournament a success. We have been working for the growth of women’s cricket in Pakistan for quite some time.”
Tania highlighted the achievements of the Pakistani cricket team. She stressed, “Our talented Pakistani team performed well in the inaugural ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup. We hope tournaments like this will help us explore more talent at the grass-root level.”
Additionally, the Principal of Kinnaird College Rukhsana David spoke on the occasion. She said, “We are delighted to host this tournament for young girls. Kinnaird aims for gender empowerment through participation in sports.”
“We are excited to have Pakistan’s national women cricketers as mentors to the participants. This helps foster confidence, team spirit, and inspiration among the girls. We hope this tournament will go a long way in developing women’s cricket in Pakistan.” David concluded.
