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 tier of women’s international cricket. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), a full ICC member, manages the team. As a national squad, they compete at the highest level of women’s cricket on the global stage.
Historical highlights – Pakistan Women’s National Cricket Team
Women’s cricket in Pakistan started in 1996, initiated by sisters Shaiza and Sharmeen Khan. Their efforts faced significant opposition in the conservative society, including legal challenges and death threats. The government initially banned the team from playing India in 1997, citing religious reasons to prohibit women from public sports participation. 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 societal and governmental resistance.
The war on terror led to increased terrorism in Pakistan during the late 2000s and early 2010s, resulting in a significant decline in foreign cricket teams visiting the country. However, in recent years, the security situation has improved markedly, with a noticeable decrease in terrorist activities, at least on visiting teams. This positive change, coupled with enhanced security measures, has encouraged the resumption of international cricket tours to Pakistan.
Red-ball History:
Pakistan women played their first test match against Sri Lanka women from 17 to 20 April 1998 at Colts Cricket Club Ground, Colombo, and Shaiza Said Khan captained the Pakistan women’s team, where Pakistan lost that match. To date, Pakistan have played only three international test matches, without winning any.
ODI History:
Pakistan women began their ODI career on 28 January 1997 against New Zealand women during a three-match series at Hagley Oval, where also Shaiza Khan 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 match against Ireland women on 25 May 2009 at The Vineyard, Dublin. Pakistan women’s team was led by Sana Mir and Pakistan won this inaugural T20 International match.
Tournament Highlights – UAE Women’s National Cricket Team
ICC Women’s World Cup
Pakistan has had a varied history in the Women’s Cricket World Cup. They didn’t participate in the early tournaments from 1973 to 1993. Their first appearance was in 1997, where they finished 11th out of 11 teams, not winning any matches out of 5 played. They missed the 2000 tournament and didn’t qualify in 2005. In 2009, they made notable gains, registering their maiden World Cup win enroute to reaching the Super Sixes and finishing 6th out of 8 teams, winning 2 out of 7 matches. In 2013, they finished last (8th), losing all 4 games, as was the case in 2017, losing all their league games. In 2022, with a win against the West Indies, their 13-year, 18-match losing streak was broken.
| Year | Position |
| 1997 | League Stage |
| 2000 | Did not Participate |
| 2005 | Did not qualify |
| 2009 | Super Six |
| 2013 | League Stage |
| 2017 | League Stage |
| 2022 | League Stage |
ICC Women’s T20 World Cup:
Pakistan’s women’s cricket team has participated in all eight ICC Women’s T20 World Cups from 2009 to 2023. Their best performance was in 2016 when they finished 6th out of 10 teams. In most tournaments, they’ve finished in the bottom half of the rankings. Their most recent appearance was in 2023, where they finished 8th out of 10 teams, winning 1 match and losing 3. This record shows that while Pakistan has been a consistent participant in the Women’s T20 World Cup, they still have room for improvement in their performance on the global stage.
| Year | Position |
| 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’s women’s team has played in both One-Day International (ODI) and Twenty20 International (T20I) Asia Cups. In ODIs, they played three times from 2005 to 2008. They usually finished near the bottom. In T20Is, they’ve done much better. They played in five T20I Asia Cups from 2012 to 2024. They reached the finals twice (2012 and 2016) and the semi-finals twice (2022 and 2024). In T20Is, while they haven’t won a title yet, their T20I performance is much stronger than their ODI record in the Asia Cup.
| Year | Position |
| 2005-06 | Round 1 |
| 2006 | Round 1 |
| 2008 | Round 1 |
| 2012 | Runners-up |
| 2016 | Runners-up |
| 2018 | Group stage |
| 2022 | Semi-finals |
| 2024 | Semi-finals |
Asian Games:
Pakistan has participated in cricket at the Asian Games thrice, with impressive results. In their debut at the 2010 Asian Games, Pakistan’s cricket team had an outstanding performance. They won all four games they played, securing the gold medal and becoming the champions of the tournament. Four years later, in the 2014 Asian Games, Pakistan continued their strong showing. They played three games and won all of them, finishing first in their group, again clinching gold. However, in the 2022 Games, they lost both their games, facing an early exit.
Domestic competitions:
National Women’s One Day Tournament
It’s a 50-over domestic women’s cricket tournament in Pakistan featuring 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 tournament’s history, having won three titles. The competition serves as a key platform for developing women’s cricket talent in Pakistan.
Women’s T20 Tournament
The Women’s Twenty20 Tournament, organized by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), is a key domestic cricket event in Pakistan. Started in 2019-20, it initially featured three teams and expanded to four in 2022-23. The tournament runs alongside the PCB Triangular One Day Women’s Tournament, offering a fast-paced T20 format. PCB Challengers dominated early, winning the first two seasons, while PCB Blasters claimed their first title in 2022-23. This competition plays a crucial role in developing women’s cricket in Pakistan, providing a platform for talent showcase and promoting gender equality in sports.
