Bureau Report
Karachi: The head of the women’s wing and chief selector, Urooj Mumtaz has announced the women’s team squad for the upcoming tour of South Africa.
Javeria Khan will lead the side in the absence of the regular captain Bismah Maroof, who pulled out from the tour due to personal reasons.
Ayesha Zafar, Kainat Imtiaz, Nahida Khan and Nashra Sandhu return to the women’s national team for the tour in which they will play the hosts in three ODIs and as many T20Is.
The Girls in Green will play matches from January 20 to February 3 in Durban and Pietermaritzburg.
Meanwhile, the squad will continue to prepare for the tour in the bio-secure environment at National High-Performance Centre, which was set up on 20 December for the probables camp, in Karachi before team’s departure on 11 January.
The chief selector said that the squad has been announced after observing players performance in the recent High Performance, probables camps and the National Triangular T20 Women’s Cricket Championship.
“We have seen significant improvement over the last three months in the intent and mindset of the players and the team is shaping up well for the upcoming series. The squad is well balanced and possesses a good blend of youth and experience for what promises to be an exciting tour,” she said.
This will be the side’s second tour to South Africa within 18 months. In May 2019, the ODI series ended in a 1-1 draw while South Africa clinched the five-match T20I series 3-2.
The team is now traveling under the new coaching setup led by David Hemp and bowling coach Arshad Khan.
“Our last tour to South Africa in 2018 produced high-quality cricket and we are looking forward to yet another competitive tour, which will be instrumental for the new head coach David Hemp as well as in our preparations for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup Qualifiers,” she maintained.
“Selecting a squad is never a stroll in the park and naming 17 players for this tour was no different. David and I have identified key areas of the game where these players must continue to improve. We will be having honest conversations with the players who were unable to make it this time, as they remain an integral part of our plans,” she added.
17-member squad for South Africa tour
Javeria Khan (C), Aimen Anwar, Aliya Riaz, Anam Amin, Ayesha Nasim, Ayesha Zafar, Diana Baig, Fatima Sana, Kainat Imtiaz, Muneeba Ali, Nahida Khan, Nida Dar, Nashra Sandhu, Omaima Sohail, Sadia Iqbal, Sidra Nawaz, Syeda Arooba Shah.
