In my column of May 4, 2022, I highlighted a new women’s cricket tournament which took place in Dubai that month. It was entitled the SDG FairBreak Invitational 2022 Tournament and was sanctioned by the International Cricket Council. Six teams consisting of 90 players from 35 countries competed across 19 matches. The tournament, organized by Cricket Hong Kong, was scheduled to be held there, but the location had to be moved because of COVID-19 restrictions.
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The players were a mixture of those from ICC full member and associate member countries. There was no auction of the players. Instead, an organizing committee invited players and then allocated them to one of six teams. This ensured that a balance between players from full and associate member countries was achieved. Over 25 countries were represented. Nine of the 11 full member national cricket boards were delighted to allow their players to take part. Only India and Afghanistan, for different reasons, did not allow their players to participate.
A vital ingredient of the tournament was the opportunity it provided for members of Associate countries to play against and alongside some of the world’s best female cricketers. It also enabled players from full member countries to gain an understanding of the challenges faced by associate players, as well as appreciate their skill sets. A second tournament took place in Hong Kong in 2023, and the event looked to be established in the global cricket calendar. A third tournament was planned for the US, but was delayed and then postponed, partly because of a clash with the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
