Marina Iqbal, who is the first Pakistan woman cricketer turned commentator in the country, stylishly stumped a troll during the National T20 tournament.
On Tuesday, the name Marina Iqbal trended heavily on social media. The reason – she was criticised for wearing high heels on a cricket pitch. One individual questioned why should she wear heels on a cricket pitch and questioned her knowledge. In response, Marina Iqbal responded in style by saying, “I am a former Pakistan player. I know the protocols.” Marina Iqbal has broken new ground in Pakistan as she is the first woman cricketer to become a commentator. She is currently on commentary duties in Pakistan’s National T20 tournament that is being played in Multan and Rawalpindi.
The fact that she had to point out that she was a former Pakistan cricketer highlights the struggles that the women’s cricket team in the country undergo for recgonition. When one looks at Indian women’s cricket, the likes of Anjum Chopra have made a wonderful transition from former player to cricket analyst and commentator. In the BCCI, the likes of Shantha Rangaswamy and Diana Edulji have also made a mark in administration. On social media, the likes of Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma, Jhulan Goswami and Mithali Raj along with other cricketers have a big presence.
In a country like Pakistan, women’s cricket has big priority but most of the masses do not know about it. It is amidst all this that Marina Iqbal has acquired the reputation of a trend-setter in the sport in Pakistan.
Moderate career, yet trail-blazing
Marina Iqbal made her ODI and T20I debut against Ireland in 2009 but her international returns were moderate at best. After struggling for six years, Marina Iqbal finally scored her maiden fifty when she smashed 69 off 123 balls in an ODI against Sri Lanka in Sharjah which helped Pakistan chase the total of 180 with seven balls to spare.
Apart from her one fifty, she has not made any other score in excess of a half century in 36 ODIs and 42 Twenty20 Internationals. In her domestic career for Central Zone Blues, she was a stalwart.
After playing a game in the 2017 ICC Women’s World Cup in England, Marina Iqbal decided to try her hand in commentary and she got her first stint in 2018 during the series between Pakistan and Australia in Malaysia. When she came on the commentary stint, she was congratulated by former Pakistan captain Mohammad Hafeez. In 2019, she was part of the PCB women’s selection committee along with players Urooj Mumtaz and Asmavia Iqbal. In the ongoing National T20 Cup, she is a prominent figure in the commentary panel.
There are players like Bismah Maroof, Nida Dar, Diana Baig and Javeria Khan who have done great service by putting Pakistan on the map when it comes to women’s cricket. However, Marina Iqbal has blazed a new course that can be an inspiration to other women cricketers in Pakistan.
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