Wahab Riaz, mentor of the Pakistan women’s cricket team, has emphasized the importance of the upcoming home series against Zimbabwe, calling it a crucial assignment for his side.
Speaking in an exclusive interview, the former fast bowler stressed the urgent need to launch a women’s T20 league in Pakistan. He also called for greater participation of Pakistani players in overseas leagues, saying such exposure would provide valuable learning opportunities for female cricketers.
The Zimbabwe women’s team will tour Pakistan for the first time, with the opening ODI scheduled for May 4. The second and third matches will follow on May 6 and May 9, respectively.
The T20I series will be held at the same venue, with matches on May 12, 14, and 15. All three games are set to begin at 7:30 p.m. local time.
Wahab noted that the ODI series holds added importance as part of the ICC Women’s Championship, offering key ranking points. The T20 matches will serve as preparation for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.
Supporting the idea of a domestic women’s T20 league, Wahab said it would allow local players to share dressing rooms with international stars on home soil.
“They will learn a great deal from that experience, and the standard of cricket will improve,” he said, while again stressing the need for Pakistani players to feature in foreign leagues.
Speaking about the upcoming T20 World Cup in England, Wahab urged the team not to focus too much on a difficult group draw.
“We must not focus on the group; we simply need to believe in ourselves. T20 is a format where any team can beat another on their day,” he said.
He also identified fitness and fielding as key areas needing improvement. Training camps were initially held in Karachi and later in Lahore to address these issues.
“The improvement in performances is largely due to enhanced fitness levels. We are also working on mental strength and game awareness, which had been lacking,” he added.
Wahab further pointed out that women cricketers have limited match exposure compared to their male counterparts.
“They lack exposure, and when they step into international cricket, the shortage of match experience affects their decision-making. Players often lack the self-belief required to execute their skills,” he said.
