The Pakistan women’s cricket team, on the brink of a historic home series against South Africa next month and subsequently set to participate in the Asian Games, has been dealt a severe setback as the team, three weeks out from their South Africa series, finds themselves without a head coach.
The newly appointed head coach in April 2023, Mark Coles, who had previously held the same position for the women’s team (2017-19), has tendered his resignation citing personal reasons, and a new head coach hasn’t been announced just yet. Adding to the surprise, Mark departs without having overseen a single game in his 2023 tenure.
Over the past six months, significant changes have occurred at the helm of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), resulting in two changes in leadership, each accompanied by fresh coaching appointments. Ramiz Raja’s originally planned three-year tenure was cut short to around one year, and he was sacked due to political interference.
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Mark Coles was appointed in January this year but has resigned in just a few months due to personal reasons. #CricketTwitter pic.twitter.com/jRTUn91oKO
— Female Cricket (@imfemalecricket) August 10, 2023
Following this, Najam Sethi stepped in as the interim chairman and reinstated Mark Coles. However, on June 21, 2023, Sethi effectively stepped down from his role after withdrawing from the race to become the next chairman of the board. Zaka Ashraf took charge on August 6, and now, citing personal reasons, Coles has decided to step away from his role with the team, perpetuating an unwanted trend.
The progress, investment, and expansion of women’s cricket have been significantly hindered by repeated instances of poor administration within the PCB. Appointments to the top post, which have repeatedly been cut short to a brief time frame and have all been politically charged, have led to frequent changes in strategies, massively hindering the consistent development of the sport, affecting nothing but only women’s cricket in Pakistan.
In the International Cricket Council (ICC) rankings, the Pakistan women’s team holds the 10th position in ODIs, trailing behind Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. However, the team fares better in the T20I rankings, securing the 7th position. The shortcomings within the PCB have cast a shadow, leaving the team helpless and stranded without access to the finest local talent due to inadequacies in the grassroots structure.
In a highly positive move during Ramiz Raja’s leadership, the PCB announced the introduction of the Women’s T20 League in October 2022, with plans for the inaugural edition in March 2023. However, by that time, Sethi had taken office, and an exhibition series involving three teams took place in March 2023 to ‘test the league.’ Although initial plans indicated a complete season for September 2023, uncertainty lingers due to another change in leadership.
With a busy schedule on the horizon for the Pakistan women’s team, they have prepared for the upcoming international season by engaging in domestic cricket and taking part in a few camps. However, as the team gathers for the first time since the 2023 Women’s Twenty20 (T20) World Cup held in February, they are faced with the absence of a head coach.
From September 2023 to July 2024, the Pakistan women’s team is scheduled to take part in five bilateral series, comprising a total of 15 ODIs and 17 T20Is. These matches will serve as a pathway to the upcoming 2024 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in Bangladesh, involving 10 teams.