A new chapter in country’s women’s cricket opened when the Women’s Club Cup tournament kicked off at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur yesterday. The popular Abahani got off a winning start when they handed a five-wicket defeat to BKSP in the opening match as the Dhanmondi based club scored 130 for five in 32.3 overs in reply to the trainees of the sports institute team’s 129 all out in stipulated 35 overs.

Papia Haque guided Abahani to secure the comfortable win as the opener made 38 off 63 balls that featured six boundaries.

BKSP’s skipper Farzana Haque top scored 37 off 45 deliveries with four boundaries for her team.

To encourage the girls to play cricket and to develop an upward trend of women’s sports the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) Women’s Wing has organised the first ever tournament involving eight clubs.

“Major clubs have really embraced this tournament and are just as serious about winning it as they are for the men’s league title. Some of the top women players are getting paid also. This is a very encouraging sign for the future,” said Abahani captain and national team all-rounder Sathira Jakir.

“This is the first club competition for women in Bangladesh and our efforts will be directed towards holding this event every year,” said the BCB president Lt Gen Sina Ibn Jamali who inaugurated the competition.

Source: The Daily Star

Popularity: 2% [?]