Fatima Sana to lead Pakistan for first time in Women’s ODI WC
Lahore: Fatima Sana will lead Pakistan’s 15-member squad for the first time in an ODI World Cup, set to take place from September 30 to November 2.
Sana, who represented Pakistan in the previous edition of ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup, had previously captained the side in the ICC Women’s CWC Qualifier held in Lahore this year, where the team maintained a 100 per cent win record to secure qualification for this year’s ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup set to take place in India and Sri Lanka.
Uncapped right-handed batter Eyman Fatima, who recently made her T20I debut against Ireland, is part of the ODI squad.
Moreover, six players – Natalia Parvaiz (8 ODIs, 24T20Is), Rameen Shamim (8 ODIs, 11 T20Is), Sadaf Shamas (15 ODIs, 12 T20Is), Sadia Iqbal (27 ODIs, 50 T20Is), Shawaal Zulfiqar (3 ODIs, 9 T20Is) and Syeda Aroob Shah (2 ODIs, 15 T20Is) are set to feature in their maiden ODI World Cup.
Additionally, two changes have been made from the 15-member squad that featured in the ICC Women’s CWC Qualifier. Eyman and Sadaf come into the squad in place of Gull Feroza and Najiha Alvi, who have been named in the five-member non-travelling reserves alongside Tuba Hassan, Umm-e-Hani and Waheeda Akhtar.
Pakistan will play all their group-stage matches at the R Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Colombo. Should Pakistan qualify for the October 29 semi-final and the November 2 final, then both the matches will take place in Colombo.
PCB said that the same squad will also feature in a three-match ODI series against South Africa, scheduled at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore from 16 to 22 September.
“The 15 players alongside five reserve players will take part in a 14-day pre-South Africa series camp from Friday, 29 August. The players under the coaching staff led by Muhammad Wasim will undergo practice sessions as well as 50-over practice matches,” it said in a release.
Squad: Fatima Sana (captain), Muneeba Ali Siddiqui (vice-captain), Aliya Riaz, Diana Baig, Eyman Fatima, Nashra Sundhu, Natalia Parvaiz, Omaima Sohail, Rameen Shamim, Sadaf Shamas, Sadia Iqbal, Shawaal Zulfiqar, Sidra Amin, Sidra Nawaz (wicket-keeper) and Syeda Aroob Shah
Non-travelling reserves:
Gull Feroza, Najiha Alvi, Tuba Hassan, Umm-e-Hani and Waheeda Akhtar