Catherine Dalton becomes first ever female coach in PSL

Former Irish cricketer Catherine Dalton has created history by becoming first ever female coach in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) history as she joined Multan Sultans as fast-bowling coach.

According to an international cricket website, the announcement makes Catherine Dalton the first female fast-bowling coach of any professional men’s team.

Catherine Dalton, 30, born in England, acquired Irish nationality in 2015 and later went on to represent them in four WODIs and as many WT20Is.

She has visited Pakistan twice and also worked with a number of local pacers, including Mohammad Ilyas, Sameen Gul, and Arshad Iqbal, as well as a number of Under-19 athletes.

Notably, Dalton is an England Cricket Board (ECB)-certified Level 3 Advanced Coach, having previously held coaching positions in the national fast-bowling academy in the UK and the Ultimate Pace Foundation in India.

“Having worked in Pakistan with some of the Multan Sultan players on two previous visits, I am really thrilled to be officially joining up with the franchise at the PSL,” Dalton told the website.

“It’s not lost on me the ground-breaking moment for a female fast-bowling coach to be working in a major men’s T20 franchise. I am very humbled by the opportunity and cannot wait to hopefully help make a difference on multiple levels.

Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Dalton said it was an honour to join Multan Sultans and becoming first ever female coach in PSL.

Such an honour to join @MultanSultans and become the first female fast bowling coach in the PSL

Thanks to @aliktareen @hijaaaaab https://t.co/q2N8ck5p8y

— Catherine Dalton (@cathdalton57) October 17, 2023

Multan Sultans’ owner Ali Tareen expressed her pleasure in acquiring the services of Catherine Dalton as his team’s fast-bowling coach.

“Catherine has been part of our player-development programme for almost five years now. I have seen how she has improved players first hand. I always knew she would become a fast-bowling coach at a high level,” Ali Tareen said.

“And I am so glad that her first opportunity came at the Sultans,” he added.

It is worth mentioning here that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), confirmed last month that the ninth edition of the PSL will run from February 8 to March 24.