KARACHI: Former batting consultant of the Pakistan Women Cricket team, Basit Ali has urged the caretaker chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Najam Sethi to encourage both men and women cricket teams in the same fashion. “If outstanding players from the men’s team could be given addition purse then why women couldn’t be treated the same way?” asked Basit Ali, while talking to this correspondent for News One TV.
Earlier in the day, the PCB announced cash awards to the Pakistan men’s and women’s teams that have recently won laurels in the West Indies and England respectively.
The entire Pakistan ODI and T20 squad was awarded Rs 200,000/- apiece while four stand-out performers - Misbah-ul-Haq, Shahid Afridi, Zulfiqar Babar and Umar Akmal -were given additional rewards of Rs 400,000/- apiece. Also, the Pakistan women’s squad was awarded Rs 100,000/- each for successful tours of England and Ireland, where the women team qualified for the upcoming World T20 Cup.
“Bisma Maroof, Nain Abidi, Batool Faima and Sadia Yousuf performed exceptionally well in England and Ireland. They deserved a better purse from the PCB”, added Basit Ali
The former Test batsman also dispelled rumours regarding any rift between him and the women team captain, Sana Mir. He added that team’s performance should be enough to negate the “baseless allegation”.
“Sana Mir is a competent player & a very shrewd captain, we had a wonderful working relationship and those spreading baseless rumors probably don’t like our faces”, claims Basit Ali
“Those having vested interests failed to digest the recent performance of the Pakistan women team”, said Basit Ali, who has recently stepped down as batting consultant.
On a question, Basit Ali declined to comment any further, however added that he would soon submit a detailed report to the caretaker PCB chairman.