LAHORE – Pakistan Women’s Selection Committee on Saturday announced 15-player Pakistan women’s squad for the next month’s ICC Women’s Championship and Twenty20 International series against South Africa.
Maintaining consistency, Urooj Mumtaz’s panel has made just one change in the 14-player squad that defeated the Windies girls 2-1 in the ODI series. Off-spinner Saba Nazir has been replaced by uncapped spinner Rameen Shamim, while Jaweria Rauf, whose last ODI appearance was in January 2014, has been added.
In the T20I squad, there are two changes from the last series against the Windies. From the 14-player squad, Anam Amin and Natalia Pervaiz have been replaced by Jaweria Rauf and Kainat Imtiaz, while Rameen Shamin has also found a place in the 15-player squad.
In addition, the selectors have also named four reserves, namely: Fareeha Mehmood, Fatima Sana, Muneeba Ali and Saba Nazir.
Chair of Pakistan Women’s Selection Panel and former captain, Urooj Mumtaz, said: “We have rewarded the girls for their outstanding achievements against the Windies girls by maintaining consistency in the ODI squad, while we have made some tweaks in the T20I squad as we look forward to next year’s ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2020.
“We have a good bunch of cricketers who have displayed their capabilities and potentials against the Windies girls and previous series. When we played South Africa in an ODI series last time, we narrowly lost 1-2, but I am hopeful we will be able to build on our success against the Windies girls and be able to do one better this time on the African safari,” she added.
“We have an excellent mix of senior and junior cricketers. I am sure under the wings of the experienced girls, the youngsters will thrive and make optimum use of the increased opportunities as these are extremely interesting times for women’s cricket as far as more chances of exposure and experience exist, with enhanced performance-related incentives,” she asserted.
Squads:
Pakistan women’s team for ICC Women’s Championship ODIs (in alphabetical order): Bismah Maroof (Captain), Aiman Anwar, Aliya Riaz, Diana Baig, Javeria Wadood Khan, Jaweria Rauf, Kainat Imtiaz, Nahida Khan, Nashra Sundhu, Nida Dar, Rameen Shamim, Sana Mir, Sidra Amin, Sidra Nawaz (wicketkeeper) and Omaima Sohail.
Pakistan women’s team for T20Is (in alphabetical order): Bismah Maroof (captain), Aiman Anwar, Aliya Riaz, Diana Baig, Iram Javed, Javeria Wadood Khan, Jaweria Rauf, Kainat Imtiaz, Nashra Sundhu, Nida Dar, Rameen Shamim, Sana Mir, Sidra Amin, Sidra Nawaz (wicketkeeper) and Omaima Sohail.
South Africa tour schedule:
6 May — 1st ICC Women’s Championship 50-over match, Potchefstroom
9 May — 2nd ICC Women’s Championship 50-over match, Potchefstroom
12 May – 3rd ICC Women’s Championship 50-over match, Benoni
15 May — 1st T20I match, Pretoria
18 May — 2nd T20I match, Pietermaritzburg
19 May — 3rd T20I match, Pietermaritzburg
22 May — 4th T20I match, Benoni
23 May — 5th T20I match, Benoni
About the women’s selection committee:
Asmavia Iqbal — The 31-year-old from Multan played international cricket from 2005 and 2017, during which she represented Pakistan in 92 ODIs (scoring 922 runs and taking 70 wickets) and 68 T20Is (scoring 421 runs and taking 44 wickets). She was a member of the Pakistan women’s teams that played in the ICC Women’s World Cup 2009, 2013 and 2017, as well as in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cups in 2009, 2010, 2012, 2014 and 2016.
Marina Iqbal — The 32-year-old from Quetta played international cricket from 2009 to 2017. In 36 ODIs, she scored 436 runs and took eight wickets, while in 42 T20Is, she scored 340 runs and took two wickets. She played in the ICC Women’s World Cup 2017, as well as in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cups in 2009, 2012 and 2014.
Urooj Mumtaz — The 33-year-old from Karachi played international cricket from 2004 to 2010. She also captained Pakistan at the ICC Women’s World Cup in 2009 in Sydney. She played one Test, 38 ODIs and nine T20Is. She is presently a member of the PCB Cricket Committee.
