Women’s cricket win
THE return of Fatima Sana gave the Pakistan women’s cricket team the zip they needed. The fast bowler had missed last month’s tour of Bangladesh due to an injury but quickly made up for lost time. Fatima picked up three wickets in both matches as Pakistan clinched the three-game Twenty20 international series against New Zealand, with a game to spare. In doing so, they became the first Asian side to win a series in the shortest format of the game in New Zealand. It was also their first away series triumph since 2018. More importantly, beating a side ranked five places higher than them in ICC standings is a confidence boost for eighth-placed Pakistan, especially with the T20 World Cup to be held next year in Bangladesh. Fatima secured Pakistan’s triumph, cleaning up the dangerous Hannah Rose when New Zealand needed 12 off three balls to win the second T20. Middle-order batter Aliya Riaz and opener Muneeba Ali delivered in both matches, while teenager Shawaal Zulfiqar stood out in the series opener with a splendid 41. Shawaal had been consistently performing for the ‘A’ side and did not disappoint after being called up to the senior side.
It is a promising sign for women’s cricket in Pakistan when young players step up at the international level. In this regard, the Pakistan Cricket Board took some significant steps recently. In August, it announced domestic contracts for young women cricketers for the first time. The 11-month contracts were handed to 74 young cricketers, 59 of them belonging to emerging and under-19 categories, with 14 having already represented Pakistan. All contract awardees had demonstrated their abilities domestically; incentivising the top performers will enable them to improve. Contracts not only help professionalise women’s cricket but also bring more players into the fold, thus increasing the talent pool and fostering more competition for places in the senior team. By the time the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh comes around, there will hopefully be more players knocking at the door. For now, though, the series win holds Pakistan in good stead ahead of the World Cup. Before their series loss to Bangladesh, the Nida Dar-led side had swept South Africa in the T20 series at home. A good run at the World Cup would be another shot in the arm for the women’s game in Pakistan.
Published in Dawn, December 7th, 2023
Gaza’s darkest hour
AFTER the collapse of the short-term truce last week between Israel and Hamas, Tel Aviv has unleashed a torrent of barbaric violence against Gaza’s people, in an apparent attempt to depopulate the besieged Strip.
While earlier the Israeli bombing and land incursion had focused on the northern end of the Strip, after the resumption of hostilities the southern part of Gaza — supposedly meant to be a ‘safe’ area for civilians — has been facing unrelenting Israeli violence.
On Wednesday, the southern town of Khan Younis faced a deadly barrage, with witnesses saying this was the heaviest fighting since the conflict began two months ago. Homes and refugee camps were amongst the targets hit. UN officials have termed the situation “apocalyptic”, while the WHO has termed it “humanity’s darkest hour”.
The Gazans now have nowhere to seek shelter, and must simply wait for a violent death brought upon them by their Israeli tormentors, often coming via American bombs.
Now that Israel has launched a full-scale attack on the south, the only safe space is across the border in Egypt. But Cairo is wary about letting in Palestinians, while it is also part of Tel Aviv’s plans to ethnically cleanse Gaza of its Arab population so that it can reoccupy the Strip. After the Holocaust, the world said ‘never again’.
But in Gaza, the most brutal tactics of the Third Reich — genocidal violence, ethnic cleansing — are being replicated by the children of Holocaust survivors.
Israeli officials have openly boasted of initiating a new ‘Nakba’, while others have used the language of far-right extremists to justify the extermination of the Palestinians. And the violence is not limited to Gaza. In the occupied West Bank, where Hamas — the supposed target of Israel’s wrath — does not rule, rabid, and armed, Jewish settlers have been terrorising Palestinians as the Israeli state turns a blind eye.
It seems that in the eyes of the Israelis, every man, woman and child in Gaza is a member of Hamas and thus, a candidate for extermination. Some Israeli politicians themselves have said that the aim to eliminate Hamas is not achievable. Then what is the endgame? Will Israel only cease its murderous assault when all signs of life from Gaza have disappeared? That appears to be the current trajectory of Tel Aviv’s military operation.
Will the Arabs and Muslims continue to issue strong statements condemning Israel as Palestinian children writhe in unspeakable pain? Will the Western states continue to defend Israel and supply it lethal arms, while sending a truckload of aid — or two — to Gaza’s people?
Will the killers of 16,000 Palestinians ever be brought to justice? The champions of the ‘rules-based order’ need to answer these questions, and tell Palestine’s children why they must continue to die.
Published in Dawn, December 7th, 2023