Fatima Sana to captain Pakistan at Women’s T20 World Cup

By Special Correspondent

 LAHORE: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has appointed fast bowler Fatima Sana as captain of the 15-member squad for the Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 that gets underway in the UAE in October. She takes over from allrounder Nida Dar. This will be 22-year-old Fatima’s first time as Pakistan captain in T20Is and at any ICC event. She has previously led the national team twice in ODIs, which included a famous Super Over win against New Zealand at Hagley Oval when she was standing in for the concussed Dar. Apart from the captaincy switch made by the national selection committee, the Pakistan side is fairly settled, with only one change from the squad that toured Sri Lanka for last month’s Women’s T20 Asia Cup. Batter Sadaf Shamas, who was also part of the Women’s T20 World Cup in 2023, has replaced wicketkeeper-batter Najiha Alvi.

Ten players from the last T20 World Cup assignment in 2023 are part of the 15-member squad. They include Aliya Riaz, Muneeba Ali, Nashra Sandhu, Omaima Sohail, Sadia Iqbal, Sidra Amin, Tuba Hassan, Shamas, Dar and Fatima. Left-arm spinner Sadia’s selection is subject to fitness while uncapped left-arm seamer Tasmia Rubab is also part of the squad. Pakistan have also named Alvi, who was left out of the main squad, as the travelling reserve. Rameen Shamim and Umm-e-Hani are the non-travelling reserves. The Women’s T20 World Cup gets underway in the UAE from October 3. Pakistan are in Group A with Australia, India, New Zealand and Sri Lanka. The revised schedule for the tournament has not yet been announced after it was shifted from Bangladesh last week.

Pakistan squad for Women’s T20 World Cup:

Fatima Sana (capt), Aliya Riaz, Diana Baig, Gull Feroza, Iram Javed, Muneeba Ali (wk), Nashra Sandhu, Nida Dar, Omaima Sohail, Sadaf Shamas, Sadia Iqbal (subject to fitness), Sidra Amin, Syeda Aroob Shah, Tasmia Rubab, Tuba Hassan. Travelling reserves: Najiha Alvi (wicketkeeper). Non-traveling reserves: Rameen Shamim and Umm-e-Hani.