Global women’s initiative, FairBreak Global, is proud to announce a world-first Invitational Women’s Cricket T20 tournament looking to be staged in Hong Kong in May 2022, in conjunction with Cricket Hong Kong, the National Cricket Association of Hong Kong. The tournament is privately funded, with healthcare group Gencor having been announced as the lead sponsor. The competition will be run in conjunction with Cricket Hong Kong, with the International Cricket Council has sanctioned the event. I’m excited for the players, particularly for Associate Nation players, and those who have lacked opportunity and recognition in this sport to date.
As the first privately funded tournament of its type, this event marks significant progress in the development of women’s cricket. FairBreak will bring together players recruited from all corners of the globe to participate in six teams.
“This is an exciting time for everyone who is part of the FairBreak movement. We have worked diligently with all vested parties to ensure our tournament will deliver a quality event and experience, true to our ‘Pure Sport’ ethos. The tournament will not only drive opportunity for all players but also support our CSR partner, SolarBuddy, in helping end energy poverty,” says Shaun Martyn, FairBreak Founder.
Tony Melloy, Chairman of Cricket Hong Kong says, “Cricket Hong Kong is delighted to have the opportunity to bring top cricketers to Hong Kong. We are working closely with the ICC to ensure all required standards are met to host a successful international women’s event.”
FairBreak Global is pleased to announce that public relations specialist, Ebba Qureshi, who is also the Founder and CEO of FemGames, has been appointed to work alongside the FairBreak team. Qureshi will cover the Pakistan and South Asia regions for the FairBreak Invitational in Dubai from 1-15 May 2022. FairBreak Global is pleased to welcome Jennifer Westacott, CEO of the Business Council of Australia, who has accepted the position of Patron for FairBreak.
In 2018 Fairbreak launched their Inaugural Day of Gender Equality with a world-first cricket match at Wormsley Estate in the UK between the Sir Paul Getty Women’s XI and the newly formed FairBreak Global XI.
The day kicked off with a summit involving key advocates for gender equality and supporters of FairBreak who participated in a robust discussion about what can be done globally to progress gender equality. We are eternally grateful to those who shared their insights and thoughts around tackling major issues including equal pay and governance.
This was followed by our FairBreak XI taking on the Sir Paul Getty Women’s XI in an exhibition T20 Cricket Match. The T20 Match was a world first, achieving a number of milestones including the first time a women’s cricket team has comprised women from 10 countries across 5 continents and first time a match of this nature had been live streamer and freely accessible for fans across the world to watch
The inaugural FairBreak XI team comprised players from Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, India, New Zealand, Oman, Singapore, USA, Vanuatu, and West Indies. FairBreak XI comprised Suzie Bates (NZ), Alex Blackwell (AUS), Selina Solman (Vanuatu) Diviya GK, (Singapore), Diane Bimenyimana (Rwanda), Nadia Gruhy (USA), Lakshmi Yadav (India) Divya Saxena (Canada), Akanksha Koli (India), Mariko Hill,(HK), Shamillia Connell (WI), Vaishali Jesrani (Oman). On the other hand, Sir Paul Getty XI was led by Charlotte Edwards. Other players were Arran Brindle, Laura MacLeod, Linsey Smith, Lea Tahuhu, (NZ) Lauren Bell, Charlie Dean, Achini Perera (Canada) Mary Waldron (Ireland) Naomi Dattani, Ciara Metcalfe (Ireland)
FairBreak is a developing network that originated in Australia. The global team is passionate about fairness, equality, opportunity and the pursuit of pure sport. We believe in the power of partnerships to achieve gender equality on a truly global scale as stated on their website. The foundation also supports the Sri Ayyappan School in Bangalore, they make available essential cricket equipment and visits through ambassadors and players providing coaching and mentoring advice. They have also, with their CPR partners supplied energy through Solar Buddy Lights to students at school.
“Our players and coaches are committed to FairBreak’s program that is driven by gender equality and also supports our CSR partner, SolarBuddy. There are ten countries represented in the FairBreak XI this year and six of our players are, or have previously been, captains of their country’s women’s cricket team. This year we have extended an invitation to three players from cricket professional Lydia Greenway’s ‘Cricket for Girls’ program. Cricket is an inclusive game and one of the key principles of FairBreak is to encourage inclusiveness and opportunity for all,“ says Shaun Martyn, FairBreak Founder.
In 2020 FairBreak Global played the first-ever Bradman Women’s XI in a T20 women’s cricket match, with world-class players from nine countries. The game continued to highlight the crucial issues of gender equality, such as equal pay and governance, and further the FairBreak mission of opportunity and equality for all. This match is a significant one for both FairBreak and the Bradman Foundation.
The FairBreak team included players from at least 8 countries including Vanuatu, USA, India, Hong Kong, Singapore, Botswana, and Australia. Australia’s most capped player and Bradman Scholar Alex Blackwell will captain the Bradman XI. One time adversaries who are now great friends, joined under the FairBreak banner as players in the same team, but who also honour their commitments to teams that may see them come together on opposing sides. Twelve FairBreakers from around the world competed with some of the best young cricket talent in Australia at Bradman Oval on February 22, 2020, led by Australia’s Alex Blackwell and Pakistan’s Sana Mir. All players demonstrated to their communities, and on a global scale, that they are as good as anyone, anywhere. More importantly, they formed bonds that will outlast their cricket careers.
The SDG Impact Fund is a forward-thinking world leader in regenerative philanthropic impact and is fulfilling a commitment to the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a plan of action for people, the planet, and prosperity. They came forward with sponsorship as an independent, USA-based impact organization and donor-advised fund, the SDG Impact Fund empowers individuals, businesses, and organizations to achieve their philanthropic goals, and makes the act of giving flexible, regenerative, and transformative. This privately funded tournament is the world’s first, bringing together players from 36 countries to form six teams playing 19 games of cricket across 15 days.
MARIANA MARTINEZ, (1)
NICOLA CAREY, GEORGIA REDMAYNE, ELYSE VILLANI, JADE ALLEN, GRACE HARRIS (5)
Andrea Mae Zepeda (1)
JAHANARA ALAM, RUMANA AHMED (2)
ANJU GURUNG (1)
SHAMEELAH MOSWEU (1)
ROVERTA AVERY, LAURA CARDOSO (2)
DIVYA SAXENA (1)
SOPHIA DUNKLEY, SOPHIE ECCLESTONE, DANI WYATT, HEATHER KNIGHT , NATASHA FARRANT (5)
Anuradha Doddaballapur, CHRISTINA GOUGH (2)
NATASHA MILES, MARYAM BIBI, BETTY CHAN, Yaz Daswani, Mariko Hill, MARINA LAMPLOUGH, SHANZEEN SHAHZAD, BELLA POON, RUCHIRA VENKATESH, IQRA SAHAR, KARY CHAN (11)
KIM GRATH, GABY LEWIS, EMMA LAI (3)
STAFANIE TAYLOR, Britney Brit Brat Cooper, HAYLEY MATTHEWS, SHAMILIA CONNELL, DEANDRA DOTTIN, SHEMAINE CAMPBELLE (6)
SHIZUKA MIYAJI (1)
MARYAM OMAR (1)
WINIFRED DURASINGAM (1)
YASMEEN KHAN (1)
SITA RANA MAGAR, RUBINA CHETTRY (2)
STERRE KALIS, BABETTE DE LEDDE (2)
SOPHIE DEVINE,KATEY MARTIN, SUZIE BATES (3)
ALIYA RIAZ, DIANA BAIG, BISMAH MAROOF, FATIMA SANA, SANA MIR (5)
JENNIFER ALUMBRO, CHRISTINO LOVINO (2)
KAIA ARUA (1)
HENRIETTA ISIMWE (1)
SARAH BRYCE, KATHRYN BRYCE, CELESTE RAACK, (3)
SUNÉ LUUS, AYABONGA KHAKA, Marizanne Kapp, Mignon Du Preez, LAURA WOLVAARDT, Shabnim Ismail, (6)
CHAMARI ATHAPATHTHU, UDESHIKA PRABODANI (2)
GUNJAN SHUKLA (1)
FATUMA KIBASU (1)
NATTHAKAN CHANTAM, CHANIDA SUTTHIRUANG, NATTAYA BOOCHATHAM, SORNNARIN TIPPOCH, NANNAPAT KONCHAROENKAI (5)
CHAYA MUGHAL, THEERTHA SATISH, Esha Oza, KAVISHA KUMARI (4)
SINDHU SRIHASHA, TARA NORRIS, GEETIKA GODALI, SHEBANI BHASKAR (4)
SELINA SOLMAN (1)
MARY-ANNE MUSONDA (1)FairBreak Global Tournament 2022 Squads:
Team Spirit: Nicola Carey (C) (AUS), Bismah Maroof (C) (PAK), Sophia Dunkley (ENG), Chaya Mughal (UAE), Betty Chan (HK), Sarah Bryce (SCT), Natthakan Chantam (THAI), Divya GK (SGP), Nattaya Boochatham (THAI), Anu Doddaballapur (GER), Sophie Ecclestone (ENG), Ayabonga Khaka (RSA), Fatuma Kibasu (TAN), Shizuka Miyaji (JAP), Yasmin Daswani (HK).
Team Falcons New Zealand captain, Suzie Bates, is proud to be leading a combination of notable and rising stars from diverse cultural backgrounds at the SDG FairBreak Invitational T20 in Dubai.
Team Warriors: United States Captain and seasoned FairBreaker, Sindhu Sriharsha, will lead a formidable team of outstanding female cricketers at the SDG FairBreak Invitational T20.
Sindhu Sriharsha (C) (USA), Hayley Matthews (WI), Georgia Redmayne (AUS), Mignon du Preez (RSA), Kathryn Bryce (SCT), Shamilia Connel (WI), Esha Oza (UAE), Udeshika Prabodhani (SL), Celeste Raack (IRE), Shameelah Mosweu (BW), Yasmeen Khan (NAM), Shanzeen Shahzad (HK), Bella Poon (HK), Mariana Martinez (ARG), Jennifer Alumbro (PH).
Manager: Renee Montgomery (HK), Coach: Lydia Greenway (ENG), Assistant Coach: Najeeb Amar (UAE).
Manager: Sue Strachan (SCO), Coach: Mauhtisham Rasheed (PAK), Assistant Coach: Hannah Trethewey (AUS).
Team Tornadoes: Stafanie Taylor (C) (WI), Sophie Devine (NZ), Sterre Kalis (NED), Andra-Mae Zepeda (AUT), Katey Martin (NZ), Chanida Sutthiruang (THAI), Mary-Anne Musonda (ZIM), Sune Luus (RSA), Sita Rana Magar (NEP), Aliya Riaz (PAK), Divya Saxena (CAN), Winfred Duraisingam (MAL), Natasha Miles (HK), Maryam Bibi (HK), Diana Baig (PAK)
