In Karachi and all over Pakistan,
people don't allow girls to go out of their house.
Should I put tea leaves in it?
No, we will put the tea leaves later.
They don't allow them to hold jobs that much either
But I still chose cricket, which was even harder.
I used to sneak out to go and play.
I thought, "If they can play, so can I."
Come down!
Hurry! Hurry!
Come on quick. Hurry up.
Finally, come on!
When I was about seven or eight years old
my brothers, cousins and uncle would all come over
and play on the roof.
But all the boys used to play in the street.
So I thought, "Why should I play on the roof?"
Bowl me out, this. Hit these.
These two crates.
Come on now! It is easy to be all talk, kid!
Back then, I knew that Pakistan had an International team
but I didn't know if there was a team of girls or not.
When I played in my neighborhood,
there was a boy, who was also my friend.
His sister, her name is Rabiya Shah.
She was an ex-wicket keeper for Pakistan.
She told me
that there were several training academies for women.
And that selected players
would get called to go to the National Stadium.
She said there was a chance for a great bright future.
I had never seen women's cricket on TV, only men's.
I had only heard of men's too.
If she hadn't told me I would have never known.
So I told my father I had to go
and he did not stop me.
Oh! Out! Out!
Then, when I was 16 I joined the academy.
Arijah!
You have to call her many times to get her to come.
Otherwise, she doesn't.
Close the tap.
She was a little different from her other sisters.
Her grandmother used to get angry with me,
saying, "Control her. What is she doing?"
I'd say, "She is only a child, let her play."
But at that time, I didn't realize
that she was going to pursue women's cricket,
or anything of the sort would happen.
Or she would find such an opportunity.
At the beginning, it was quite hard for me
because the academy was very far away.
There can be safety and security issues, you know?
So, her daily commute was difficult.
I couldn't send her alone in a rickshaw.
We often had to note down the license plate number.
So until she was back home, that anxiety was there.
But her nerves are stronger than mine.
She could control herself and didn't show her anxiety.
What did you say about the Instagram account?
I was saying that I'll make the Instagram account public.
-But, I turn off the comments. -I did the same.
I had talked to Coach about this
and she was saying that,
I wasn't mentally prepared to make my account public.
I think the brake oil is finished.
I won't leave you here!
No, I just mean because the engine keeps stopping.
First day in the academy,
I saw girls were bowling, batting, doing everything.
So I thought, this is where I wanted to play.
Good! Come on!
Come on! Run down! Yes!
Very good. That's it!
Training is really tough.
But as time goes on,
I feel I am getting better than I was before.
Come on, yes, yes, very good.
Way to go!
When the ball is thrown, stand right here.
When the ball crosses,
then dive to stop it before the boundary.
The thing is, if girls get involved in sports,
they’ll be active.
They won't be home all day
in the kitchen learning how to make bread.
Obviously, they would have no knowledge about the world.
By leaving the house, they can experience the world.
They will get an idea about a lot of worldly things.
Go, well done! Save runs, save runs!
Very good, come on, come on, throw...
Very good, Come on mate, next
Arijah is doing well, huh!
We have singled her out
as one of the girls to watch out for.
So, I think she'll do well. She will.
There is a massive difference
between women's cricket and men's cricket.
When you're a male
and you want to go out and you want to pursue something,
especially on a cricket field,
it is thought to be the natural thing to do.
It is harder to accept a woman out on a cricket field
playing sports or following her passion.
You know, whether it's transportation issues,
permission issues, religious issues,
it will always come with some form of a sacrifice.
Come on!
Run, run, excellent, come on!
We create opportunities for women to play cricket.
Come on, very good!
We saw that there was a gap,
so we took the onus upon us.
I'm exhausted.
It is good, our muscles are becoming stronger.
Yes, but we should have rest too.
Arijah is quite serious about her career.
She wants to achieve her goals with her whole heart.
That's what's great about her.
She was my very first friend.
So, in a way, she knows a lot of secrets of mine.
She's my secret-keeper and I am hers.
Look how beautiful the goats are!
They look so beautiful in white.
-I love this one. -This one.
The little ones are cuter.
Irritate them more. See what happens!
-They are playing slow. -They are going OK.
They have 26 balls, right?
26 overs.
Cricket is a necessity for me.
If I can't play cricket,
my heart won't settle on anything else.
At the end of 2018,
She was awarded the under-17 "Player of the Academy".
Her performance was the better than great
This is the shield.
It was a really joyous moment.
I was very happy and so was she.
She said, "Dad, I'll work harder, inshallah!
And go even further."
There are only a few coaches in Pakistan
that will train women.
My thought is that if a cricketer has set an aim
and his chances to get into the Pakistani team,
then why shouldn't I give them my extra time?
Today's opposing team will be good.
But, my hope is that my team performs better
and wins the match.
Everyone, line up!
We are going to create the teams.
All right, line up!
Arijah, come here!
The captains of today's match will be Masooma and Arijah.
Play without fear. Very good.
There are a lot of people who say,
"You're a girl, why do you need to play?
Just stay home!"
But I feel proud to be a girl who is playing.
I am serving Pakistan.
If everyone else can do it, why can't I?
I want to make my father proud of his daughter.
So that he can say,
"Yes, she's my daughter and she did this."
I want to see her playing in the Pakistani team.
I mostly have daughters.
My main goal was for them not to be dependent on anyone.
I am very hopeful, God willing,
that she will reach her destination soon.
Cricket is the healer in this country.
We come from a nation where our everyday struggles
are what people have basic amenities abroad.
It makes you believe that your strength
can help transcend anything that comes your way.
In the beginning, everyone struggles in their field.
After that, you grow, and make a name for yourself.
It is my dream to play for the Pakistani team
and make my country proud
and set records, not just in Pakistan, but in the world.
To all the girls like me around the world,
I'd like to say
that if they have talent or passion for something,
they should just do it.
Don't ever think that you can't do something
or need permission to do it.
Don't be afraid.
Follow your heart.
And if you ever think, "I can't do this",
just know it's up to you.