Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), on Tuesday, announced the Pakistan Women squad for the upcoming inaugural edition of Commonwealth Games Women’s Cricket Competition 2022, starting July 29 in Birmingham.
Pakistan have gone with an unchanged squad that recently clean-swept Sri Lanka women. The outfit features 18 members, including three reverse players: Ghulam Fatima, Sadaf Shamas and Umme Hani.
“Following a successful series against Sri Lanka, we have decided to retain the same winning combination. Not only our senior cricketers in the side displayed great cricketing acumen, but also our youngsters were outstanding and have raised their hands whenever the team needed them to,” said chief selector Asmavia Iqbal in an official statement.
“We are delighted with a start Tuba Hassan has had to her international career and feel her leg-spin will be a potent weapon for us in the days ahead. Ayesha Naseem produced a match winning innings in the second match of the T20Is against Sri Lanka and proved her big-hitting ability,” she added.
Ahead of the fixtures in the Commonwealth Games, Pakistan will square off in a triangular series against Australia and Ireland.
Coming back to the multi-team event, the Bismah Maroof-led side is grouped with India, Australia and Barbados in Group A. Similarly, England, New Zealand, South Africa and Sri Lanka are placed in Group B. The top two teams from the pools will progress to the semi-finals.
“I want to congratulate our team for putting up a solid and dominating display in Karachi against Sri Lanka, and I am sure these girls will continue their form in the ICC Women’s Championship fixtures. Our team has all the potential to do well in the United Kingdom, and I wish them the very best for the tri-series and Commonwealth Games. I want to thank the Commonwealth Games for accepting our request to accommodate our captain Bismah Maroof’s family at the games village, which will allow her to focus on the task at hand without any worries about her young infant daughter,” said Head of Women Cricket, Tania Mallick.
Here is Pakistan Women’s Squad for Commonwealth Games 2022:
Bismah Maroof (captain), Aimen Anwar, Aliya Riaz, Anam Amin, Ayesha Naseem, Diana Baig, Fatima Sana, Gull Feroza (wicketkeeper), Iram Javed, Kainat Imtiaz, Muneeba Ali Siddiqui (wicketkeeper), Nida Dar, Omaima Sohail, Sadia Iqbal and Tuba Hassan.