Sana Mir is set to get the Asia Game Changer Award for her commitment to the game and filling in as a motivation for women in Pakistan and in the world. In front of the event, she reviewed the difficulties she looked during her developmental years, with cynics scrutinizing her choice to take up the game.
“When I started in 2005, people would ask me why I’m doing this, it’s not a women’s game,” Mir was cited as saying by Asia Society.
Pakistan’s Sana Mir may have outlined the pinnacles of accomplishment in women’s cricket, yet she remembers the troublesome early days when she was encompassed by deterrents and confronted cynics. Having begun by playing street cricket at five years old, Mir, as such a large number of other growing female cricketers in the nation, was looked with the absence of legitimate introduction. Undaunted, she began playing in the young men groups, and gradually climbed the positions. She joined the women’s national team in late 2005, and by 2009, graduated to captaincy. The exceptionally one year from now, she drove Pakistan to gold in the Asian Games.
“Initially when I started playing cricket. People would ask me what do you do and I would say I play cricket for Pakistan out of a lot of pride and they would say what else do you do? I said no, that’s what I do. I play for my country. They would not understand that girls could represent their country and make a profession out of it. This has changed a lot in 12-13 years that I’ve been part of” said Sana Mir in an interview with ICC during the 2019 T20 World Cup.
Alongside the team’s prosperity came Mir’s own prosperity as an off-turn bowler; in October 2018, she turned into the primary lady from her nation to guarantee the No.1 positioning in ODIs, and in May this year, turned into the best spinner in women’s ODI. She was as of late drafted into the ICC Women’s Committee too. The achievements have caught the consideration of general society, which, Mir accepts, has begun to change the impression of women’s cricket in the nation.
“Now when I talk to people, they say, ‘We are so proud of the team. We want our daughters to be a part of this team.’ They ask how can they become a part of this team. Mentality and perception have changed.”
Mir has been helpful off the field as well and is vocal on social media, frequently raising her voice to shout out on social themes. She accepts that impediments can’t stop the diligent work of motivated women to enter the game and make their own name.
“Any girl in Pakistan who puts in hard work and is true to the game can do that in any sport”, Mir Concludes.
Source: ICC
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