Pakistani cricketer Sana Mir refuses to attend training camp
27 September 2017
What’s the story?
Pakistan women’s captain Sana Mir, one of the biggest names on the side, refused to attend a training and fitness camp last week, one the PCB had scheduled for all team members.
An emailing revealing the information was shared to social media by another person, with Mir confirming the authenticity of the email to press later.
In case you didn’t know
Perhaps the most high-profile female cricketer that Pakistan has produced, Mir is an extremely successful sportswoman, and under her captaincy, Pakistan won Asian Games Gold in 2010 and 2014.
A highly-ranked bowler, this year Mir became the first ever Pakistani woman to take 100 wickets in ODIs following Pakistan’s outing at the World Cup qualifiers.
The details
In a statement yesterday, Sana Mir clarified that she had decided not to attend the camp to take a stand for certain issues regarding women’s cricket in Pakistan, and would not attend until the PCB chose to address those issues.
Mir specifically addressed the PCB management in the email, saying it had “compromised players’ respect, merit, and physical and mental well-being. I am not willing to work in this setup unless things change for the betterment of women’s cricket.”
There have been long-standing issues between Mir and the PCB, with women’s team coach Sabih Azhar called Mir “self-centred, egotistical and being wrapped up in oneself.”
Mir had hit back at the time, making it clear that the management had made things difficult for players.
Author’s Take
Mir has made no bones of the issues plaguing Pakistan’s women’s cricket and the PCB, which has taken public digs at the cricketer on several occasions, should address these issues as soon as possible; given Mir’s seniority and decorated career, it is unlikely that the player’s claims are without merit.
What’s Next?
Following her confirmation – and clarification of the email, Mir has refused to further elucidate on the specific issues. The team now heads into a tour of New Zealand; incidentally, the PCB have announced Kiwi Mark Coles the coach for the side.(Agencies)
