LAHORE: Experienced Bismah Maroof will lead the national side in the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2022 as the Pakistan Cricket Board’s women selection committee today (Monday) announced the squad for the mega tournament.
The ICC event is scheduled to kick off from March 4 in New Zealand and will continue till April 3.
It is pertinent to mention here that Bismah returns to international cricket after two years as she took a break from the game for the birth of her first child in December 2020.
Star all-rounder Nida Dar has been appointed as the vice-captain for the World Cup.
After impressive performances in practice matches during the recent Karachi camp, the selection committee included leg-spinner Ghulam Fatima, who last played for Pakistan in 2018, and opener Nahida Khan into the national team.
However, Kainat Imtiaz and Sadia Iqbal who were part of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier squad missed out on selection because of injuries.
Chair of women’s national selection committee Asmavia Iqbal said: “I want to congratulate every player who made it to the squad for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup.”
Speaking on the occasion, Bismah Maroof said: “It is a great honour for me to lead my country into another World Cup. I am thrilled to be back in action and do what I love and have dedicated my life to.”
She said “The recent selection matches proved to be fruitful for me and the whole side as we got some match practice under competitive and challenging environment leading into the mega event. The aim is to reach the World Cup semi-finals and I believe this team has the potential to pull it off.”
The Pakistan squad will begin the final phase of their preparations with a 10-day pre-departure camp in Karachi from 27 January. They will depart New Zealand on 8 February 8.
Pakistan squad: Bismah Maroof (captain), Nida Dar (vice-captain), Aiman Anwar, Aliya Riaz, Anam Amin, Diana Baig, Fatima Sana, Ghulam Fatima, Javeria Khan, Muneeba Ali, Nahida Khan, Nashra Sandhu, Omaima Sohail, Sidra Amin and Sidra Nawaz
Travelling reserves: Iram Javed, Najiha Alvi and Tuba Hassan
Pakistan’s fixtures at ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2022:
March 6 – Pakistan v India at Bay Oval, Tauranga
March 8 – Pakistan v Australia at Bay Oval, Tauranga
March 11 – Pakistan v South Africa at Bay Oval, Tauranga
March 14 – Pakistan v Bangladesh at Seddon Park, Hamilton
March 21 – Pakistan v West Indies at Seddon Park, Hamilton
March 24 – Pakistan v England at Hagley Oval, Christchurch
March 26– Pakistan v New Zealand at Hagley Oval, Christchurch