PWCCA denies PCB has authority to hold trials for IWCC Trophy

The Executive Committee of the Pakistan Women's Cricket Control Association (PWCCA) is once again surprised to learn that PCB will be holding trials in Islamabad instead of Peshawar for the forthcoming IWCC Trophy in the Netherlands.

Firstly, it must be brought to the notice of people of Pakistan that the trials are not being held in Peshawar solely due to the reason that MALE cricketers were to conduct the trials. Had PWCCA conducted these trials under their supervision these trials would not have been relocated. PWCCA already has a talented cricketer, Rabia Khan who has been selected from this city and was permitted to play after her parents were assured that there will be NO direct involvement of men with the women's team. After all, Pakistan is an Islamic country and it also has talented women who can run their own affairs successfully as PWCCA has done by introducing Pakistan women's cricket not only nationally but also internationally.

It is also important to note that the Honorable Lahore High Court had directed the PCB to determine any one association out of the existing three and then regulate women's cricket. The suggestions of the scrutiny committee are outside the mandate of the Court orders and therefore do not bound on any one. The Lahore High Court has not even indicated that PCB should take over the affairs of women's cricket.

As stated by the PCB in one of the leading newspapers of today that ICC will decide as to who will participate in the said tournament is a misleading statement as ICC does not run the affairs of women's cricket. ICC's meeting in June will not affect the status of PWCCA, as it is a full member of the IWCC.

It is once again very clearly protested that PCB has no authority to hold trials and select a so-called National team for the IWCC trophy. PCB is asked to produce the affiliation and invitation for the IWCC Trophy in public before further trials are conducted. Otherwise they will very openly be misleading the people of Pakistan.

Mohd. Iqbal
Press Secretary
Pakistan Women's Cricket Control Association
15 March 2003