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ISLAMABAD, Feb 02 (APP):Cricket brought together students from public schools and colleges in Lahore as Australia and Pakistan renewed their support for girls’ participation in sport.
The seventh edition of the AHC–Kinnaird Girls’ Cricket Cup focused on access, teamwork, and pathways for young players, highlighting growing cooperation between the two countries at the community leve, said a press release issued by Australian embassy.
The Australian High Commission (AHC), in partnership with Kinnaird College for Women and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), hosted the tournament to expand opportunities for girls through cricket.
The event aimed to create space for learning, confidence building, and leadership among students from different social and economic backgrounds.
The tournament used cricket as a shared platform to encourage inclusion and participation. By bringing together teams from government schools and a college academy, the cup provided young players with match experience and exposure that is often limited for girls at the school level. Organisers said the event also reflected steady people-to-people links between Australia and Pakistan through education and sport.
Australia’s High Commissioner to Pakistan, Timothy Kane, congratulated the players for taking part and for challenging limits on women’s participation in sports. He said cricket allows girls to question social attitudes and show the value of equal participation in economic and social life.
The High Commissioner noted that while men’s national teams are playing matches in Lahore ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup, the girls’ tournament was about long-term investment. He said the focus was on helping young players build pathways to represent their schools, communities, and the country in the future.
Ahead of the matches, participants attended a three-day coaching clinic supported by the PCB. Members of Pakistan’s national women’s team and the under-19 squad led the sessions. They shared basic skills, match preparation methods, and personal experiences with the players. Organisers said the clinic helped improve playing standards and gave students direct contact with national-level cricketers.
Australia has supported girls’ cricket initiatives in Pakistan since 2016. With help from the PCB and local partners, the programme has expanded from Islamabad to Lahore and Karachi. Officials said the effort has helped identify new players and provide early-stage support. Several former participants of the AHC–Kinnaird Cup have since represented Pakistan at the under-19 national level.
Head of Pakistan Women’s Cricket, Rafia Haider, said such tournaments play a key role in talent discovery and confidence building. She added that regular support and exposure can help young players progress to higher levels of competition.
Kinnaird College for Women Principal Dr Iram Anjum said sports participation supports personal growth beyond the field. She said playing cricket helps students develop leadership skills and a sense of inclusion, and added that the college values its partnership with Australia in supporting young women.
Teams in the tournament included Government Shuhda-e APS Memorial Girls High School, Government Central Model School, Government Tehzeeb-ul-Binat Model Girls School, Government Yasmeen Islamia Girls High School Mughalpura, and the Kinnaird Cricket Academy.