A Brief History of Pakistan Women’s National Cricket Team
The Pakistan women’s national cricket team is one of ten teams in the ICC Women’s Championship, the top level of women’s international cricket. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), a full member of the ICC, manages the team. As a national team, they compete at the highest level of women’s cricket worldwide.
Historical Highlights – Pakistan Women’s Cricket Team
Women’s cricket in Pakistan started in 1996 with the initiative of sisters Shaiza and Sharmeen Khan. Their efforts faced considerable opposition in conservative society, including legal challenges and death threats. The government initially banned the team from playing in India in 1997, citing religious reasons to prevent women from participating in public sports. Despite these obstacles, the team persevered and made their international debut in 1997, competing against New Zealand and Australia. This marked a breakthrough for women’s cricket in Pakistan, overcoming opposition from society and the government.
The war on terror led to increased terrorism in Pakistan in the late 2000s and early 2010s, leading to a significant reduction in the number of foreign cricket teams visiting the country. In recent years, however, the security situation has improved considerably, and terrorist activity has clearly decreased, at least in foreign groups. This positive change, coupled with enhanced security measures, has encouraged the continuation of international cricket tours to Pakistan.
History of the red ball:
Pakistan Women played their first Test match against Sri Lanka Women on 17-20 April 1998 at the Colts Cricket Club Ground in Colombo and Shaiza Said Khan captained the Pakistan women’s team in which Pakistan lost the match. Pakistan have so far played only three international Test matches but have not won any of them.
ODI History:
Pakistan Women started their ODI career on 28 January 1997 against New Zealand Women in a three-match series at Hagley Oval, where Shaiza Khan also led the team, but New Zealand won this series 3–0. Pakistan Women then participated in the 1997 Women’s Cricket World Cup in India, losing all five matches and finishing last out of eleven teams.
T20 International History:
Pakistan Women played their first T20 International against Ireland Women on 25 May 2009 at The Vineyard, Dublin. Pakistan women team was led by Sana Mir and Pakistan won this opening match of T20 International.
Tournament Highlights – UAE Women’s Cricket Team
ICC Women’s World Cup
Pakistan has had a checkered history in the Women’s Cricket World Cup. They did not participate in the early tournaments between 1973 and 1993. Their first appearance was in 1997, when they finished 11th out of 11 teams, but did not win a single match out of five played. They missed out on the 2000 tournament and failed to qualify in 2005. In 2009, they achieved significant success, recording their first World Cup victory en route to the Super Sixes, finishing sixth out of eight teams, winning 2 out of 7 matches. In 2013, they finished last (8th) and lost all 4 games, as in 2017, losing all their league games. In 2022, a win against West Indies saw their 13-year, 18-match losing streak snapped.
| year | station |
| 1997 | League stage |
| 2000 | Did not participate |
| 2005 | It didn’t work |
| 2009 | Super Six |
| 2013 | League stage |
| 2017 | League stage |
| 2022 | League stage |
ICC Women’s T20 World Cup:
The Pakistan women’s cricket team has participated in all eight ICC Women’s T20 World Cups between 2009 and 2023. Their best performance was in 2016 when they finished sixth out of 10 teams. In most tournaments, they have placed in the bottom half of the rankings. Their last appearance was in 2023 when they finished 8th out of 10 teams, winning 1 match and losing 3. This record shows that while Pakistan have been consistent participants in the Women’s T20 World Cup, they still have room for improvement. performing on the global stage.
| year | station |
| 2009 | Round 1 |
| 2010 | Round 1 |
| 2012 | Round 1 |
| 2014 | Round 1 |
| 2016 | Round 1 |
| 2018 | Round 1 |
| 2020 | Round 1 |
| 2023 | Round 1 |
Asia Cup:
Pakistan women’s team has played in both One-Day International (ODI) and Twenty20 International (T20I) Asia Cup. They played in ODIs three times between 2005 and 2008. Usually they ended up near the bottom. In T20Is, they have done much better. They played in five T20I Asia Cups between 2012 and 2024. They reached the final twice (2012 and 2016) and the semi-finals twice (2022 and 2024). In T20I, although they are yet to win the title, their T20I performance is much stronger than their ODI record in the Asia Cup.
| year | station |
| 2005-06 | Round 1 |
| 2006 | Round 1 |
| 2008 | Round 1 |
| 2012 | Runners up |
| 2016 | Runners up |
| 2018 | Group stage |
| 2022 | The semi-finals |
| 2024 | The semi-finals |
Asian Games:
Pakistan has participated in cricket in the Asian Games thrice with impressive results. The Pakistan cricket team made their debut in the 2010 Asian Games with excellence. They won all four games they played, secured the gold medal and became the tournament champions. Four years later, at the 2014 Asian Games, Pakistan continued their strong showing. They played three games and won them all to finish first in their group and win gold again. However, at the 2022 Games, they lost both their games and were in danger of an early exit.
Domestic competitions:
National Women’s One Day Tournament
It is a 50 over domestic women’s cricket tournament in Pakistan with four teams: PCB Blasters, PCB Challengers, PCB Dynamites and PCB Strikers. The Strikers last competed in the 2021-22 season. PCB Dynamites are the current champions and the most successful team in the history of the tournament after winning three titles. The competition serves as a key platform for the development of women’s cricketing talent in Pakistan.
Women’s T20 tournament
Organized by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), the Women’s Twenty20 Tournament is a major domestic cricket event in Pakistan. Started in the 2019-20 season, it initially included three teams and expanded to four in 2022-23. The tournament runs alongside the PCB Triangular One Day Women’s Tournament and offers a fast-paced T20 format. PCB Challengers dominated early and won the first two seasons, while PCB Blasters won their first title in 2022-23. This competition plays a crucial role in the development of women’s cricket in Pakistan, providing a platform to showcase talent and promote gender equality in the sport.
Team – Pakistan women’s cricket team
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