Pakistan finally gets first win at T20 World Cup, beats Canada by 7 wickets

Amongst the plethora of men’s cricket tournaments being played around the world, it might seem easy to overlook a number of women’s events also taking place — which are indicative of the latter’s remarkable growth over the last decade.

At present, a Women’s Ashes series is being played in Australia and an International Cricket Council Women’s U-19 T20 World Cup in Malaysia. And Bangladesh’s women are touring the West Indies for a three-match series in both T20Is and One-Day Internationals.

In Australia, the 50-over Women’s National Cricket League resumed after the final of the Women’s Big Bash League on Dec. 1, 2024, which concludes on March 2. In New Zealand, the final of the women’s Super-Smash tournament is scheduled for Feb. 1.

One of New Zealand’s most prominent players and captain, Sophie Devine, will take no further part in that tournament. She is to take an immediate break from the game. This means she will miss the Women’s Premier League 2025 in India, in which she is part of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

According to New Zealand Cricket, this is to “prioritize her well-being” after receiving professional advice. The statement added that a “decision on Devine’s playing future will be announced in due course.”

This all sounds a little ominous for Devine, who is now 35. Since October 2024, when she was part of the T20 World Cup winning team, Devine has played in an ODI series against India, in the WBBL for the Perth Scorchers and in an ODI series against Australia in late December.

In her career, she has played almost 300 international games. The amount of cricket now played by top players, albeit well rewarded, takes its toll, both mentally and physically.

Such a toll is being felt very keenly by England’s women’s cricketers in Australia. The Ashes series consists of three ODIs, three T20 matches and a single Test match. A points-based system is used to determine the winning team. Two points are awarded for an ODI and T20I win, one point each for a tie or no result.

Victory in a Test match earns four points, with two each in a draw. The England team has suffered the chastening experience of being beaten in all three ODIs and in all three T20Is. This provides Australia with 12 points and, going into the Test match which started on Jan. 30, were in determined mood to complete a clean sweep.

This would be historic. England won the first series under the points-based system in August 2013 and then defended that position in Australia in early 2014. However, Australia regained the trophy in England in 2015 and, since then, have not let hold in five consecutive series.

The series in 2017/18 and 2023 were drawn at eight points each, Australia retaining the Ashes as holders. A clean sweep in 2025 would be an embarrassment for England.

It will place increased pressure on both the coach, Jon Lewis and the captain, Heather Knight, who has led England 199 times in international matches. There has been a focus on why England’s performances have been so disappointing. One suggestion came from a recent former England player, Alex Hartley, now working as a commentator and pundit.

After England’s surprise elimination in the Women’s T20 World Cup last October, she questioned the physical fitness of some team members. In Australia, she has reiterated this theme. It has been clear throughout the series that the Australian players are super-fit, display an unmatched athleticism and an indomitable will to win.

Hartley’s comments have brought her into conflict with some of her former teammates, who have shunned her, even refusing to be interviewed. Although there have been denials that fitness is an issue, a siege mentality appears to have developed within the squad.

This does not augur well for an improved performance in the Test match. It also brings into sharp focus the boundaries between what constitutes acceptable criticism from former teammates. Hartley wants England to do better and justifies her criticism as a push for them to achieve improvement.

It will require a big push to catch up with the Australians. The current coach of the Australian under-19 women’s team is in no doubt that the current senior squad have pushed performance and athleticism to new heights. In the U-19 Women’s World Cup, Australia have reached the semifinals, along with South Africa, whom they will play on Jan. 31, England and India. All four teams deserve their places but, in a possible pointer for the future, the Nigerian team came within a point of reaching the semifinals.

On this evidence alone, there is proof that the women’s game is growing both in geographical reach and playing numbers. This is one of the achievements of which the ICC is proud. A prime mover behind this has been its CEO, Geoff Allardice.

This week it was announced that Allardice would be stepping down after four years in the post, to “pursue new challenges.” His departure, in the early days of Jay Shah’s tenure as chair, follows those of the heads of the anti-corruption unit, events and the general manager of marketing and communication.

Under Shah’s watch, women’s cricket is set to reach new levels. These will be driven not just by ICC tournaments but by national boards. They need to attract and develop higher quality talent to the game, all in competition with other sports.

Australia is helped by having a stable domestic structure, whereas that in England and Wales has changed three times since 2015. Attracting talent is also driven by salary levels.

Significantly, within the last 10 years, the cricket boards in Australia and England introduced professional central contracts for women. In Australia’s case, a new five-year deal has increased salaries by two-thirds.

The top international players now have the opportunity to boost their incomes through domestic and franchise tournaments, plus endorsements.

One can understand the frustrations of commentators — such as Hartley who are aware of the similar rewards for top women players in both England and Australia — watching the latter being so dominating.

DUBAI: Johnson Charles ignited the Dubai International Stadium on Tuesday night by leading the Sharjah Warriorz to a resounding nine-wicket victory.

His breathtaking knock of 71 runs in 33 balls set up a flawless run chase in only 11.5 overs as the Warriorz maintained their undefeated record against the Dubai Capitals in the DP World ILT20.

An impactful show from the spinners, including two wickets for 28 runs from Adam Zampa in the first innings, restricted the Dubai Capitals to 131/9. The result gives the Warriorz’s net run rate a significant boost, keeping them firmly in the fray for a playoff berth.

The powerplay made the chase a mere formality as Charles and Tom Kohler-Cadmore dominated the bowling to set the highest powerplay score of the season. The pair raced to 79 runs in just six overs, with Charles smashing five towering sixes, including a remarkable 24-run over off Zahir Khan. 

Charles brought up his 50 in 21 balls, studded with six sixes and two fours. Halted by Sikandar Raza in the 11th over, he departed after striking three fours and eight sixes, which included a combination of power hitting, deft touches and switch-hits.

Kohler-Cadmore wrapped up proceedings in the next over with a clever boundary off Dushmantha Chameera. The Englishman finished with 54 runs in 32 balls, smashing eight fours and two sixes.

Earlier in the day, Adam Rossington bludgeoned a six and two fours as the powerplay saw 55 runs for the Capitals. Shai Hope played second fiddle to Rossington until the latter was accounted for by Zampa in the seventh over for 37 runs in 23 balls. 

Following the powerplay there was a steep drop in the run-rate. While Hope occupied one end, batting with restraint, the wickets tumbled around him as the spinners dominated the middle overs.

Zampa claimed another when he dismissed Gulbadin Naib, and skipper Sikandar Raza was removed by Ashton Agar. In the same over, Najibullah Zadran was run out to leave the Capitals in hot water at 85/4 in 12 overs. 

The UAE’s Rohan Mustafa kept the pressure on with the wickets of Khalid Shah and Dasun Shanaka to expose the tail. Meanwhile Hope’s stint at the crease came to an end for 45 runs in 52 balls at the hand of Tim Southee in the 18th over.

Rovman Powell provided a flicker of hope with an unbeaten 32 runs in only 16 balls, peppered with three fours and two sixes but the Dubai Capitals finished the innings at a below-par score of 131/9 in 20 overs. 

Player of the match Charles said: “They got off to a bit of a flier, but I love playing in Dubai because the conditions tend to get a bit skiddier, which suits my style.

“I thought Ashton Agar and Rohan Mustafa bowled exceptionally well and complemented each other perfectly. We managed to put the opposition under pressure.

“Ash and I have played a lot together in the past, and it’s always a pleasure to play alongside him. It felt almost nostalgic since we haven’t had many opportunities to play together recently.”

The Dubai Capitals’ captain Raza said: “I thought we were traditional in our batting. We needed more sweeps, reverse sweeps and switch-hits. We went into a shell rather than being aggressive.

“Johnson is a fantastic player and done that to many teams; it was quite hard to bowl at him. He played a lot of great shots. One bad game is not going to derail us. We will try to get this game out of (our) system and winning the next two is the target.”

Brief scores 

• Sharjah Warriorz beat Dubai Capitals by 9 wickets
• Dubai Capitals 131/9 in 20 overs (Shai Hope 45, Adam Rossington 37, Rovman Powell 32 not out, Rohan Mustafa 2 for 12, Adam Zampa 2 for 28)
• Sharjah Warriorz 135/1 in 11.5 overs (Johnson Charles 71, Tom Kohler-Cadmore 54 not out, Sikandar Raza 1 for 9)