Canada has a new cricket league called Canada Super 60. This league just made a special choice. They decided to name their first women’s trophy after Mel Jones, a famous cricket player from Australia.
What Makes Canada Super 60 Special?
Canada Super 60 is different from other cricket leagues. It is the first league in the world to start with both men’s and women’s teams right from the beginning. The games are also shorter – only 10 overs per side instead of the usual 20 or 50 overs.
The league will play all its games inside BC Place in Vancouver. This big indoor stadium will host games with cricket stars from around the world and Canadian players too.
Who Is Mel Jones?
Mel Jones was a great cricket player for Australia. But she is famous for more than just playing cricket well. She has helped many people and worked hard to make cricket better for women everywhere.
After she stopped playing cricket, Jones became a sports reporter on TV. She also started helping other women cricket players in need.
Her Amazing Help for Afghan Women
Jones did something brave and kind in 2021. When the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, many women cricket players had to leave their country quickly. These women were in danger because the new rulers did not want women to play sports.
Jones helped save these women. She worked with many people to help them escape to Australia and other safe countries. She even helped start a special program called “Pitch Our Future” to help these women continue their education and cricket careers.
Because of Jones’s hard work, many Afghan women players now live safely in other countries. Two of these players now live in Canada.
Why This Trophy Matters
Canada Super 60 has made a promise. Every year, they will name their women’s trophy after a different woman cricket legend. This will help people remember the great women who helped make cricket better.
Jones said, “This honor from Canada Super 60 truly humbles me. To have the Women’s Trophy named after me is something very special.”
She also hopes that one day, a Canadian women’s cricketer will be good enough to have this trophy named after her.
What This Means for Cricket
This new league and trophy show that cricket is growing in Canada. It also shows that people care about women’s cricket and want to give female players the same chances as male players.
The Canada Super 60 league will help young Canadian girls see that they can also become cricket stars. It will also bring more attention to women’s cricket around the world.
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Looking Ahead
The first Canada Super 60 season will start soon. Cricket fans will get to see exciting games in a unique format. They will also see the first winner of the Mel Jones Trophy.
This is just the beginning. As more women and girls start playing cricket in Canada, the sport will keep growing. And the Mel Jones Trophy will remind everyone of the woman who helped make cricket better for all female players.
The league shows that cricket is not just about playing games. It is also about helping people and making the world a better place – just like Mel Jones did for those Afghan women cricket players.
