Pakistan Women’s Cricket Faces Deepening Internal Rift

Once a dominant force in world cricket, Pakistan’s men’s team carried an aura built on legends like Imran Khan, Javed Miandad, Saeed Anwar, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and Shoaib Akhtar. Those days, however, feel increasingly distant. A prolonged decline in performances has become the backdrop against which both men’s and women’s cricket in the country are now being judged.

The women’s team, in particular, is enduring a difficult spell. Competing in the ongoing ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in England, Pakistan have yet to register a victory. The struggles did not begin there. Prior tours of Ireland and the West Indies also ended without a single win, extending a worrying pattern of inconsistency and disappointment.

What has drawn even more attention than results is the growing sense of unrest within the squad. Tensions reportedly escalated during the tournament following an incident involving senior batter Aliya Riaz. She allegedly brought her husband, Ali Younus, into her hotel room, prompting a strong reaction from captain Fatima Sana, who objected on disciplinary grounds and asked for his removal from the team accommodation.

The situation deteriorated further ahead of Pakistan’s crucial match against Bangladesh on Saturday. Reports suggest that Aliya missed a scheduled training session and instead went out with her husband, a move that deepened friction within the dressing room. Captain Fatima Sana is said to have opposed Aliya’s inclusion in the playing XI for the match.

Despite the captain’s stance, the coaching staff proceeded with their selection, naming Aliya in the side. The decision did not pay off. Pakistan went on to lose the match by 23 runs, with Aliya failing to score. The defeat triggered a heated post-match atmosphere, with the captain reportedly expressing strong dissatisfaction and blaming the coaching setup for ignoring team discipline protocols.

The coaching staff, meanwhile, have pointed to on-field execution as the key issue, arguing that players have been unable to implement tactical plans effectively.

The Pakistan Cricket Board has remained silent on the matter, neither confirming nor denying the reported internal discord. Over the past three to four years, repeated changes in coaching personnel have done little to improve results, leaving the women’s team still searching for stability and direction.