シニアから19歳以下まで：パキスタン女子クリケットチーム、ICCトーナメントの呪縛を打ち破るべく奮闘

パキスタンの19歳以下女子クリケットチームは、アイルランドに衝撃的な負けを喫した後、T20ワールドカップから撤退し、ICCトーナメントでの成功を目指して戦いを続けている。

As expected, the Women’s U-19 cricket team crashed out of the Women’s U-19 T20 World Cup in Jakarta today. It’s not like the team lost to a major cricketing nation; they were defeated by Ireland, which led to their exit from the tournament. Ireland, along with Nigeria, qualified for the Super-6, but Pakistan, a nation with a strong cricketing history, could not. The players did not perform this time, which is unfortunately not new. Disappointments for the Pakistan women’s team—be it the senior or junior team—are common, as they have yet to register a single win in any ICC tournament.

What happened in the Last U-19 World Cup?

This is the second U-19 T20 Women’s World Cup, and Pakistan experienced a disappointing loss in this tournament. However, last time in 2023, they at least made it to the Super 6. Their campaign didn’t last, as New Zealand and England finished above them in Group 2 and qualified for the semifinals, while Pakistan remained in the third position.

Same History with the senior team

Pakistan has faced similar challenges in senior tournaments. They have been regular participants in all ICC Women’s T20 World Cups but have not achieved significant success so far. In 2009 and 2010, they struggled, losing all their matches. In 2012, they secured a memorable win against India, showing some improvement but failed to reach the semifinals. By 2014, they recorded another victory against Sri Lanka in the playoffs but later lost to India. Breaking into the semifinals has consistently eluded them, including in the 2020 and 2023 tournaments.

Same fate in the future?

Pakistan’s women’s team has shown little improvement over the last 20 years, and now even the U-19 team is struggling, indicating an overall lack of progress in their cricket. These young players are the ones who will eventually play on the senior team. If they are underperforming in the initial tournaments, it is concerning for the potential future performance of the senior teams as well.