Nida Dar will continue to lead Pakistan as captain for the upcoming ACC Women’s T20 Asia Cup, scheduled from 19 to 28 July in Dambulla, Sri Lanka. The squad was finalized after a four-day camp concluded in Karachi last Saturday.
The team includes familiar faces such as Aliya Riaz, Diana Baig, Fatima Sana, Gull Feroza, Iram Javed, Muneeba Ali, Najiha Alvi, Nashra Sundhu, Omaima Sohail, Sadia Iqbal, Sidra Amin, Syeda Aroob Shah, Tasmia Rubab, and Tuba Hassan.
Notably, Ayesha Zafar, Natalia Parvaiz, Rameen Shamim, Sadaf Shamas, Umm-e-Hani, and Waheeda Akhtar, who were part of the squad that toured England last month, have been excluded. Instead, Iram Javed, Omaima Sohail, Syeda Aroob Shah, and Tasmia Rubab have been included.
Iram Javed last played her 53rd T20I against Bangladesh in October 2023, Omaima Sohail featured in her 48th T20I against New Zealand in December 2023, and Syeda Aroob Shah’s last appearance was her seventh T20I against South Africa in September 2023.
Tasmia Rubab, a 22-year-old left-arm fast bowler, is the only newcomer in the squad. She impressed while representing Pakistan A against West Indies A and Thailand in November 2023, and recently performed well in domestic tournaments.
Preparations for the tournament will intensify with a training camp starting in Karachi on 5 July, continuing until the team departs on 16 July. Head coach Muhammad Wasim will oversee the camp, supported by Abdur Rehman (spin bowling coach), Junaid Khan (assistant coach – bowling), and Hanif Malik (assistant coach – fielding).
The team management includes Hina Munawar (team manager), Rabia Siddiq (physiotherapist), and Waleed Ahmed (analyst).
Pakistan is placed in Group ‘A’ alongside India, Nepal, and UAE. Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Thailand, and Malaysia constitute Group ‘B’. The top two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals scheduled for 26 July.
Pakistan will commence their campaign against India on the tournament’s opening day, 19 July, followed by matches against Nepal and UAE on 21 and 23 July, respectively.
