ISLAMABAD, Sep 16 (APP):Pakistan’s Javeria Khan feels glad to be part of the Women’s Global Development Squad (WGDS) saying the opportunity to lead them was a humbling experience.
The likes of Javeria Khan, Charlotte Edwards and Hannah Rainey discuss how WGDS initiative offers players from developing cricket countries a chance to experience high-quality cricket.
The WGDS played six fixtures in England in 2019, securing two wins, including a superb six-wicket win over Surrey Stars. The ICC initiative offers players from developing countries exposure to high-quality cricket in an aim to help improve quality of the game beyond traditional strongholds.
The 2019 tour of England was the third iteration of the WGDS, and the side, featuring players from seven countries, was led by Javeria. “The opportunity to lead them was a humbling experience,” icc-cricket.com quoted Javeria as saying.
“Pakistan women’s cricket was once where women’s cricket in developing countries is now. So I understand the importance of giving exposure to empower players and I’m glad that I’m part of the process,” she said.
Charlotte Edwards, former English legend and now director of women’s cricket at Southern Vipers, one of the teams at the Women’s Cricket Super League in England, said the initiative reflected the massive strides women’s cricket has made in recent times.
“These girls get an opportunity to play in England, play against the Southern Vipers. This couldn’t have happened even five years ago, so the opportunities now are amazing. That makes me prouder than anything, really.”
Promising Scotland seam bowler Hannah Rainey, who picked up eight wickets from six games on the tour at 13.37, said that the experience of rubbing shoulders against some of the game’s legends would hold WGDS players in good stead should their teams make it to a World Cup.
“It was quite a challenge to bowl to the likes of Suzie Bates and Stafanie Taylor,” she said.
“It was an incredible opportunity and it’s a good challenge, and something we need to rise to. If we get the opportunity to be at a World Cup, we need to know what it’s like and we need to know that we can do it,” she said.
