Lahore: Right-arm fast bowler Fatima Sana on Saturday marked her return to the Pakistan side for the upcoming three-match ODI series and as many T20Is against Ireland scheduled to take place in Lahore from November 4 to 16.
The three ODIs are part of the ICC Women’s Championship 2022-25 and will be played from November 4-9 at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore. It is the first time that an Ireland side – either men’s or women’s — are touring Pakistan for the very first time.
Fatima, 20, was ruled out of Pakistan’s run to the semifinal in the Women’s Asia Cup held earlier this month in Sylhet, Bangladesh after she twisted her ankle while playing for Barbados Royals Women in the Women’s Caribbean Premier League (CPL). She replaces fellow pacer Diana Baig in both squads, who is out of the series due to a shoulder injury she sustained while playing in the Women’s Asia Cup.
“Fatima Sana’s comeback in the side will strengthen the fast bowling department after the team will be without their experienced pacer, Diana Baig. I am sure the players will step up and perform, as important ICC Women’s Championship points will be up for grabs for direct qualification to the next ODI World Cup,” said chief selector Asmavia Iqbal in an official statement.
In the 15-player T20I squad unveiled by Asmavia, herself a former Pakistan pacer, veteran batter Javeria Khan also makes a comeback. Javeria last featured for Pakistan in the shortest format was in July 2021 against the West Indies at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua and will replace Sidra Nawaz for the T20I series.
“The experienced Javeria Khan has been included in the T20I squad, to boost the side’s batting and her presence at the top of the order will provide stability. The team performed well in the recent ACC Women’s T20 Asia Cup and so we have not made many changes as we want a well-balanced and settled squad ahead of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup taking place next year,” added Asmavia.
Apart from the two changes in Pakistan’s T20I squad that featured in the Women’s Asia Cup, there are three changes to the ODI squad that played against Sri Lanka in Karachi in June this year.
Anam Amin, Gull Feroza, and Diana Baig (due to injury) are replaced by left-arm spinner Nashra Sandhu, pace all-rounder Kainat Imtiaz and uncapped off-spinner Umm-e-Hani in the ODI squad. The squads were finalised after deliberations amongst Asmavia, interim head coach Saleem Jaffer and captain Bismah Maroof.
Both ODI and T20I squads will undergo a four-day camp in Lahore after they arrive in the team hotel on October 25. The squads will have fielding and net sessions on October 26 and 28 at the NHPC and LCCA Ground, while they will feature in two intra-squad (50-over) practice games at the LCCA Ground on October 27 and 29, respectively.
Pakistan ODI squad: Bismah Maroof (c), Aimen Anwar, Aliya Riaz, Fatima Sana, Ghulam Fatima, Kainat Imtiaz, Muneeba Ali (wk), Nashra Sandhu, Nida Dar, Omaima Sohail, Sadaf Shamas, Sadia Iqbal, Sidra Amin, Sidra Nawaz (wk) and Umm-e-Hani
Reserve players: Ayesha Naseem and Tuba Hassan
Pakistan T20I squad: Bismah Maroof (c), Aimen Anwar, Aliya Riaz, Ayesha Naseem, Fatima Sana, Javeria Khan, Kainat Imtiaz, Muneeba Ali (wk), Nida Dar, Omaima Sohail, Nashra Sandhu, Sadaf Shamas, Sadia Iqbal, Sidra Amin and Tuba Hassan
Reserve players: Ghulam Fatima, Sidra Nawaz and Umm-e-Hani
–IANS
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