KARACHI: Pakistan captain Bisma Maruf says the Twenty20 World Cup is a “big opportunity to showcase her talent” and will boost the profile of women’s cricket in the country.
The 31-year-old all-rounder will lead a Pakistan side that has never made it past the first round in their last seven appearances in the tournament.
Speaking to JEE News by telephone from South Africa, where the World Cup begins on Friday, Maruf said: “There were times when nobody or very few people knew that Pakistan women’s cricket The team is there.
“With more matches and live coverage we have gained recognition and respect.”
If Pakistan Women are to make an impact in the 10-team tournament, they will have to improve significantly on their past World Cup performances.
They have won just seven of their 28 World Cup matches to date, though two were against India, in 2012 and 2016.
Maruf and his teammates will be chasing a third victory against their arch-rivals when the two sides clash in Cape Town on February 12 to open their campaigns.
Having started cricket at the age of 16, the Lahore-born Maruf has seen first-hand how women’s cricket in Pakistan has evolved in over a decade.
But she also knows there’s a lot of work to be done.
“I hope it continues to improve and we continue to get facilities and recognition like other top teams,” he said.
“That’s the key to improvement.”
Pakistan are ranked seventh in the world, meaning they will have to perform more if they are to make it out of the first round at the World Cup for the first time.
At last year’s Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, Pakistan finished bottom of their group, behind T20 World Champions Australia, India and Barbados, losing all three games.
They will miss star fast bowler Diana Bagg for the World Cup after suffering a fractured finger in the 101-run comprehensive defeat against Australia last month.
But they have a bowling all-rounder in 21-year-old Fatima Sana, who won the International Cricket Council’s Emerging Women Cricketer award last year.
The title may be ahead of them, but Maruf says the World Cup is “another big opportunity for us to showcase our talent.”
“So I just want my team to play positive cricket and give their best.”
