Pakistan Super League: Five Women Setting a New Example for Multan Sultans

In the 2019 session organized by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Multan Sultans’ CEO, Ali Khan Tareen, was present. During the session, Ali Khan Tareen raised a question to the then PCB Chairman Ehsan Mani, “The most important question is, what is happening with women’s cricket?

You have mentioned cricket associations, first and second teams, under 19, under 16, under 13, and city-level cricket teams, but there is no mention of women’s cricket anywhere?

He said, “Why has women’s cricket not been given importance? Why hasn’t every cricket association been mandated to have at least one women’s cricket team?” When Multan Sultans’ CEO Ali Khan Tareen came into the spotlight regarding cricket, he raised a strong voice for women’s cricket and initiated campaigns for them on various occasions. After the demise of the globally acclaimed owner of Multan Sultans last year, Ali Khan Tareen, his nephew, took charge of the team.

Asking @TheRealPCB why there was no mention of Women’s Cricket during the presentation of PCB’s new Domestic Structure. I’m my view each of the 6 Cricket Associations should be mandated to make a women’s team. pic.twitter.com/ejq8CbqDZF

— Ali Khan Tareen (@aliktareen) August 31, 2019

At present, the ninth edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) is underway. Teams, including Multan Sultans, are competing in this PSL season. In this PSL edition, Multan Sultans is the only team that has included several women in its management and coaching staff.

Ali Khan Tareen, the CEO of Multan Sultans, has taken various initiatives for the inclusion of women in cricket. He has organized tournaments, including the “Khelo Women” campaign, and has created new opportunities for women cricketers, especially in South Punjab.

In 2019, on the International Women’s Day, Ali Khan Tareen wrote, “In Pakistan, boys’ sports are encouraged, while women are considered domestic. He mentioned the successes of several Pakistani women in sports in his post.

Currently, the management and coaching staff of Multan Sultans include five women in central roles. Hijab Zaid is the General Manager of the team, while Alex Hartley from England serves as the Assistant Spin Bowling Coach. Irish women cricketer Kathryn Dalton is the Fast Bowling Coach.

In addition, Pakistani women cricketer Fatima Sana serves as the team’s Brand Ambassador, and Sadia Khan is the Social Media Content Strategist.

Hijab Zaid
Multan Sultans have appointed Hijab Zaid as the General Manager, marking a historic moment as the first female General Manager in the history of any franchise in the Pakistan Super League. Moreover, Hijab Zaid is the youngest General Manager in the history of PSL, being 29 years old.

Hijab Zaid holds a Master’s degree in Project Management from the University of Hertfordshire. Before this role, she has previously worked as the Media Manager for Islamabad United.

Announcing the appointment of Hijab Zaid as the General Manager, Ali Tareen wrote on his social media, “Multan Sultans have appointed Hijab Zaid as the first female General Manager of a franchise in South Asian men’s cricket. They intend to establish gender equality within the franchise.”

We at the @MultanSultans are privileged to have @hijaaaaab as our new GM. A fantastic professional with a Masters in Project Management, who brings with her a wealth of experience. A trailblazer, Hijab is in fact South Asia’s first woman GM in men’s cricket. First of many IA! 🙏🏼 pic.twitter.com/FAlXrUudWL

— Ali Khan Tareen (@aliktareen) August 28, 2023

**Catherine Dalton: First Woman Bowling Coach in PSL History**

For the first time in the history of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), Multan Sultans have the honor of having a woman coach. Catherine Dalton, a former Irish cricketer, has been appointed as the Fast Bowling Coach by Multan Sultans. This makes Catherine Dalton the first woman bowling coach in any men’s cricket team in a major league.

Catherine Dalton was born in England but obtained Irish citizenship in 2015. She has played four One Day Internationals and four International T20 matches. Trained in England with a ‘Level 3’ coaching certification, she has previously served in coaching roles for the Rajasthan Cricket Association, Ultimate Pace, and the England National Cricket Academy.

**Catherine Dalton imparts the art of fast bowling to all senior and junior bowlers of Multan Sultans.**

During practice sessions, she engages in laughter and banter with male players, maintaining a focus on attention. Her videos with Multan Sultans’ players have become a decoration on social media.

**Alex Hartley**

Currently, the Multan Sultans have Alex Hartley as their third former women cricketer. Hailing from England, she has played 28 One Day Internationals and four T20 matches for England.

The franchise of Multan Sultans has appointed Alex Hartley as the Assistant Spin Bowling Coach alongside Pakistan’s illustrious spinner Saeed Mushtaq. The franchise informed its supporters on the social media platform Twitter that the former English cricketer Alex Hartley has been appointed as the Assistant Spin Bowling Coach.

**Honoring Multan Sultans with Two Women in Coaching Staff for the Men’s Team.**

**Fatima Sana:**
Among the two brand ambassadors for Multan Sultans is the Pakistani women cricketer Fatima Sana. Fatima has represented Pakistan in the women’s cricket team, initiating her career with One Day Internationals and T20 matches against South Africa.

**Fatima Sana:**
She was also part of the Women’s T20 World Cup squad and was shortlisted for the PCB Emerging Cricketer of the Year Award. Currently, she serves as the brand ambassador for Multan Sultans.

**Sadirish Khan:**
Sadirish Khan is the fifth woman associated with the Multan Sultans franchise. She is responsible for the team’s social media content strategy. Sadirish Khan holds a master’s degree in media studies from Karachi University and has previously contributed to various newspapers and publications.

From 2017 to 2018, she worked as a Social Media Executive with Multan Sultans. In addition to that, she has fulfilled similar roles with PCB and PSL. Currently, she is actively engaged with Multan Sultans, contributing to the team’s presence on social media.