Regina woman wants to play competitive cricket, but her team keeps giving up | CBC News

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Cricket is one of the world’s most popular sports, played in 120 countries around the world. So why is it so hard to keep a women’s team active and thriving in Regina?

The Queen City has more than 24 clubs and at least 30 teams. But all of them are for men.

There has been at least one women’s team — affiliated with the local Titans club — in the past.

Filmmaker Ayesha Mohsin used to play cricket. She wanted to profile the Titans women’s team this spring in a mini-documentary for CBC’s Creator Network. But that wasn’t possible, as the team slowly faded away.

Instead, Mohsin interviews people about why the sport is important to them and what needs to be done to help women’s teams get back into action.

Misbah Rasool is one of those hoping for a revival of women’s cricket in Regina. The player and coach comes from a family with a long cricketing history. Her father was a star cricketer in Pakistan, her brother plays for a club in Regina and her son Baidar Bakht plays for Canada’s U19 team.

Rasool’s daughter, Minahil Fatima, said she grew up watching her mother and other family members play cricket.

“Sports really makes him happy. Even now when he watches a game, he’s like the first person to do it,” Fatima said. “He’s the happiest. Even now you can ask him, and he’ll be ready to play, any day now.”

Krishna Trivedi and Aeshaben Vyas were also part of the now-defunct Titan women’s team. They both said they hope to form a new team.

“The first game I ever played outdoors was cricket,” Trivedi said. “I like cricket because it keeps my body healthy.”

Vyas said he loved the social aspect and camaraderie.

“I met a lot of friends after coming to Canada, being part of the women’s cricket team,” Vyas said. “I met 12 lovely people… we became like family, and I miss them a lot right now.”

The Titans club said the women’s team was disbanded due to lack of money and lack of interest.

Meanwhile, the Titan men’s team is growing rapidly, with eight to nine new teams popping up in Regina this season alone.

Many players were born and raised in Saskatchewan, while others are new Canadian citizens from countries including Pakistan, India, Nepal, South Africa and England — where the sport originated in the 16th century and has been a national sport for more than 200 years.

Cricketer Arham Syed agrees that women need more opportunities in the sport.

“I think women’s cricket should be integrated into western society. And I think the RCA (Regina Cricket Association) and the SCA (Saskatoon Cricket Association) should set up some organisations like they do for men and children,” he said.

The Saskatchewan Cricket Association has members in Regina, Saskatoon, Davidson, Weyburn and Prince Albert.

The Saskatoon Association runs programs for children, including an under-19 program for girls. The Regina Association website says they hope to do the same.

Cricketer and coach Alfred Trotman said the children’s program was vital to increasing the number of female players.

“In terms of improving women’s cricket, I think they need to create programs for young kids, for girls, at a community level. Then, translate that into school programs and develop that,” Trotman said.

Additionally, Trotman said there needs to be more money for women’s teams, and more people committed to putting in the time and effort.

The women Mohsin interviewed for her documentary agreed, saying it would be worth it. Sport keeps women active, and provides a sense of community and purpose.

“I feel like it gives you an opportunity to go out and be more than just a housewife,” Minahil Fatima said. “Because women are so stigmatized, like, oh your job is just to take care of the kids or, like, be there for your husband.”

For now, the women will continue to play on the field and play casually. However, they hope to encourage more people to get involved, get excited and bring competitive women’s cricket back to Regina.