The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is actively exploring the possibility of launching a franchise-based T20 league for women, marking a potentially transformative step for women’s cricket in the country. However, board officials have stressed that the idea is still at a discussion stage and will not be rushed.

PCB women’s wing head Rafia Haider confirmed that while the proposal is on the table, no final call has been taken yet. Speaking to Cricbuzz, she said the board wants to carefully assess every aspect before committing to a project of such scale.

“It is under discussion but not finalised as yet,” Rafia said. “Whenever it happens, it will be a huge move. We want to take everyone on board and do our homework properly before bringing it to fruition.”

Rafia highlighted that the PCB is already laying strong foundations for women’s cricket, beginning with the decision to dedicate the High-Performance Centre (HPC) in Karachi exclusively to women players. The facility now hosts year-round camps and training programmes aimed at long-term development.

“We are taking multiple initiatives to strengthen women’s cricket in Pakistan,” she explained. “The Women’s Under-19 team was given separate team management and access to the HPC ahead of their Bangladesh tour, and the results were visible immediately. We’ve also assigned separate managements for the national, U19 and emerging teams to ensure focused player development.”

She praised the PCB leadership for its consistent backing of women’s cricket over the past two years, saying the board has provided both resources and structural support.

Rafia also pointed to a positive cultural shift, with growing acceptance of women’s cricket across the country. “Women’s cricket is now an integral part of the PCB. Parents are increasingly bringing their daughters to learn the game, which is a very encouraging sign,” she said.

Learning from global franchise models

Women’s franchise leagues across the world have demonstrated their impact in developing talent and raising standards. India’s Women’s Premier League (WPL), Australia’s Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL), and England’s The Hundred have all played crucial roles in expanding the women’s game.

Inspired by these successful models, the PCB believes a women’s franchise league could significantly benefit Pakistan cricket but only if it is introduced with careful planning, long-term vision and adequate support.

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