Pakistani cricket star Sana Mir and six other Asian cricketers have been honoured with the 2019 Asia Society Game Changers award in recognition of their impact on cricket in Asia and worldwide.
The International Cricket Council’s former top bowler was bestowed with the honour in a ceremony of The Asia Society, held on Thursday in New York.
Asia Society Co-Chairperson Ambassador Chan Heng Chee, who presented the cricketer with the award said that Sana Mir was a true champion in her field, adding, “She’s also a champion for millions of girls and young women on the field and off.”
Apprising the guests at the ceremony of Sana Mir’s cricket career, Ambassador Chee stated, “As a child growing up in Pakistan, Sana Mir saw few other girls — and even fewer women — playing the national sport: cricket. Refusing to let that stop her, Sana joined the country’s fledgling women’s cricket team and went on to become its captain and eventually the top female cricketers in the world.”
While accepting her award, the offspin bowler dedicated her award to those fighting for climate change, children of war-torn nations and women helping each other.
Sana spoke of the need for rights to be protected regardless of any discrimination. She said, “My prayer today is that the leaders of today and tomorrow see the world through the lens of the child, the way the child sees the world, so we can safeguard their rights without regard to the colour of their skin, race, religion, or nationality.”
While talking to media after she received the award, she said that she was honoured and humbled to have received the award and was proud to represent her country and the sport of cricket.
The other women who received the award include the first female governor of Tokyo, the leader of a 25-billion dollar Chinese company, and a senior Indian police officer who led the investigation to apprehend the perpetrators of the 2012 Delhi bus rape.
The Asia Society is an organisation which aims to promote mutual understanding and strengthen partnerships among people, leaders and institutions of Asia and the United States.
The organisation’s Game Changers award honours true leaders of Asia who have made a positive contribution to the future of the continent.
This is the first time since 2014 that all those who have been awarded are women.
Notable people who have received the award in the past are Malala Yousafzai, Jack Ma and Aga Khan.
The International Cricket Council’s former top bowler was bestowed with the honour in a ceremony of The Asia Society, held on Thursday in New York.
Asia Society Co-Chairperson Ambassador Chan Heng Chee, who presented the cricketer with the award said that Sana Mir was a true champion in her field, adding, “She’s also a champion for millions of girls and young women on the field and off.”
Apprising the guests at the ceremony of Sana Mir’s cricket career, Ambassador Chee stated, “As a child growing up in Pakistan, Sana Mir saw few other girls — and even fewer women — playing the national sport: cricket. Refusing to let that stop her, Sana joined the country’s fledgling women’s cricket team and went on to become its captain and eventually the top female cricketers in the world.”
While accepting her award, the offspin bowler dedicated her award to those fighting for climate change, children of war-torn nations and women helping each other.
Sana spoke of the need for rights to be protected regardless of any discrimination. She said, “My prayer today is that the leaders of today and tomorrow see the world through the lens of the child, the way the child sees the world, so we can safeguard their rights without regard to the colour of their skin, race, religion, or nationality.”
While talking to media after she received the award, she said that she was honoured and humbled to have received the award and was proud to represent her country and the sport of cricket.
The other women who received the award include the first female governor of Tokyo, the leader of a 25-billion dollar Chinese company, and a senior Indian police officer who led the investigation to apprehend the perpetrators of the 2012 Delhi bus rape.
The Asia Society is an organisation which aims to promote mutual understanding and strengthen partnerships among people, leaders and institutions of Asia and the United States.
The organisation’s Game Changers award honours true leaders of Asia who have made a positive contribution to the future of the continent.
This is the first time since 2014 that all those who have been awarded are women.
Notable people who have received the award in the past are Malala Yousafzai, Jack Ma and Aga Khan.