On February 25, Charlotte Edwards broke the glass ceiling as she became the first female president of the Professional Cricketers Association (PCA), succeeding Graham Gooch.
She was elected to the role by the players’ committee at the PCA’s annual general meeting and is set for an initial two-year role. Her election comes soon after the introduction of 41 new female PCA members, who signed full-time domestic contracts as part of the ECB’s revamped domestic structure.
Edwards had an illustrious career as a player and it feels as if she has taken up from where she left as a cricketer. She was the skipper of England between 2005 and 2016 and has been the leading run-getter for the country. The former top-order right-hand bat featured in 309 international matches for England, leading her country to victory in the ICC Cricket World Cup and ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in 2009.
During her 20-year career, Edwards won four Ashes series and captained England to victory in both the ICC Cricket World Cup and ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in 2009 before playing her final match in March 2016. During her 20-year career, Edwards won four Ashes series. After hanging up her boots from playing, she took on coaching assignments, her latest ones being the head coach of Southern Vipers and Southern Brave.
“I’m hugely honored to be given such a prestigious title in being the President of the PCA. It’s an exciting time for women’s cricket and I’m really excited about what I can bring to the role. I think the introduction of 41 new female members to the PCA has shown it’s the right time to have a female PCA President, but I’m passionate about looking after the interests of the men’s game as well in order to help cricket thrive as a whole. I’ve done a lot of work with the PCA, on and off the field, and it’s been quite the journey from being an amateur to becoming a PCA member in 2011 and now helping to support the next generation of players in this role. I’ve always followed what the PCA is doing for the game, and in particular the work of the Professional Cricketers’ Trust, and I really do want to be as involved as I can be. The game has given me so much and now this is the perfect opportunity for me to give something back,” Edwards said.
I am a former cricketer having represented Mumbai University at All India University level. I was a part of MCA probables for the U-19 and U-23 age group. I have been an avid cricket writer for the last five years. Currently I am pursuing my Ph.D from IIT Bombay.