PCB Announces Monthly Stipend To 25 Unemployed Women Cricketers

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has come up with a heart-warming initiative or a scheme for a handful of the women cricketers during testing times. The PCB has announced a stipend amount of PKR 25,000 rupees to 25 unemployed national female cricketers for three months, which will be from August to October. The move comes in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic that has made life challenging for people across the globe.

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In June, the apex body of cricket in Pakistan released the list of women contracted players, which included nine centrally contracted cricketers and as many emerging athletes. It started from the 1st of July and will continue for the next 12 months.

At this moment, Pakistan women cricketers are not engaged in any cricketing activities. The male cricketers returned to the field on Wednesday.

The 25 women cricketers were selected following a selection criterion, which included featuring in the 2019-20 national domestic season; are not contracted for the 2020-21 season, and are presently without a job, contract or business amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the PCB stated in one of their statements.

Urooj Mumtaz, who is part of the selection committee of Pakistan’s women’s cricket team, conceded that the global health crisis has hurt the cricketing activities of female cricketers. There are also a handful of those who are the sole breadwinners for their families.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has brought a halt to all women cricketing activities worldwide. This has adversely affected our women cricketers, some of whom are the sole breadwinners of their families,” Mumtaz stated as quoted by News18.

Urooj Mumtaz thanks the PCB for acknowledging the issue:

The 34-year old went on to say that as the women’s cricket team is on the cusp of greatness too, it was essential for the PCB to step up and support them. She expressed her gratefulness to its Chief Executive, who has empathised with the female cricketers.

Mumtaz believes that this would go a long way in ensuring the women players that they will receive as equal support as males. In May, the PCB helped 161 stakeholders that included former men first-class cricketers, match officials, scorers, and curators.

“As the women’s game is making steady progress, it was imperative that the PCB came up with this scheme to not only protect and support our players but to also make them understand and realise that the PCB values them and will look after them in difficult times. I am grateful to my team as well as the PCB Chairman and Chief Executive who acknowledged the issue and made a decision which will go a long way in our endeavours to promote, develop and grow women’s cricket in Pakistan,” she added.

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