Pakistan announces squad for Women’s T20 Asia Cup; Nida Dar will lead

LAHORE: Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced its 15-player squad for the upcoming ACC Women’s T20 Asia Cup, scheduled to take place in Dambulla, Sri Lanka from July 19 to 28. Nida Dar has been retained as captain of the Pakistan women’s team for the tournament.

The selection of the squad followed a rigorous four-day camp in Karachi, which concluded on Saturday, where the team management assessed the form and fitness of the players ahead of the mega tournament.

The women’s team selectors have made several changes from the previous squad that toured England, with the likes of Ayesha Zafar, Natalia Parvaiz, Rameen Shamim, Sadaf Shamas, Umm-e-Hani and Waheeda Akhtar being dropped. In their place are newcomers Iram Javed, Omaima Sohail, Syeda Aroob Shah and Tasmia Rubab.

The 15-player squad includes Aliya Riaz, Diana Baig, Fatima Sana, Gull Feroza, Iram Javed, Muneeba Ali, Najiha Alvi, Nashra Sundhu, Omaima Sohail, Sadia Iqbal, Sidra Amin, Syeda Aroob Shah, Tasmia Rubab and Tuba Hassan, the PCB announced in a press release.

According to the PCB statement, a training camp specifically for the Women’s T20 Asia Cup will begin in Karachi on July 5 and will continue until the team’s departure on July 16.

Pakistan has been placed in Group ‘A’ alongside traditional rivals India, Nepal and UAE. Group ‘B’ includes Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Thailand and Malaysia. The top two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals on July 26.

The tournament begins on July 19 with a match between Pakistan and arch-rivals India. Pakistan’s next group stage matches are scheduled against Nepal on July 21 and UAE on July 23.