Alex Hartley might not have had time to reflect on her “trailblazing moment”, but becoming one of the two first female coaches in a men’s franchise league in the subcontinent was inconceivable a decade ago.
The Multan Sultans in the Pakistan Super League have broken new ground, first with the appointment of the first female general manager, Hijab Zahid, and then hiring Catherine Dalton and Hartley as bowling coaches.
While the PSL might not have the same riches and international fanfare as its neighbour, the Indian Premier League, players can still earn up to £150,000 for the competition, it features some of the biggest stars in the game, and matches are played in front of packed-out stadiums.
Dalton and Hartley might not be the first women to work as coaches in the men’s game, that is widely believed to be Sarah Taylor, who was appointed wicketkeeping coach with Sussex in 2021, and she has also worked with Southern Brave in the Hundred, but it is nonetheless a significant achievement.
Ever down-to-earth and speaking from her hotel room in Karachi, Hartley admitted to The Independent, that the significance of being appointed as Multan Sultan’s assistant spin coach might not fully sink in until she has returned to Manchester.