Mahnoor Aftab named Pakistan Women U-19 captain for Bangladesh tour

Staff Report

 LAHORE: The Women’s National Selection Committee, led by Saleem Jaffar, on Thursday announced a 15-women squad for the upcoming T20 tri-series involving Sri Lanka Women U19 and Bangladesh Women U19, to be played in Cox’s Bazar from January 24 to February 2. The tournament will be played on a double round-robin basis followed by a final. Off-spinner Mahnoor Aftab has been appointed captain for the event. Batting all-rounder Laiba Nasir has been named her deputy. Six players, including Mahnoor and Laiba, represented Pakistan at the ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup that took place in South Africa the previous year. Anosha Nasir, Eyman Fatima, Rida Aslam and Zaib-un-Nisa are the other players who represented Pakistan at the World Cup. Ahead of the squad finalization, 23 players featured in a probables camp as part of preparation and training for the tri-series. The camp ran from 10 to 18 January at the Hanif Mohammad High Performance Centre in Karachi and was monitored by the Women’s National Selection Committee. The team is set to depart for Bangladesh on 19 January from Karachi. Pakistan Women U19 will play their first match on January 25, when they face Sri Lanka Women U19.

Pakistan women U19 squad: Mahnoor Aftab (Captain), Laiba Nasir (Vice-Captain), Anosha Nasir, Areesha Ansari, Eyman Fatima, Haleema Dua Zafar, Komal Khan (Wicketkeeper), Maham Anees, Memoona Khalid, Mubeen Ahmed, Ravail Farhan, Rida Aslam, Samiya Afsar, Zaib un Nisa and Zoofishan Ayyaz.

Non-traveling reserves: Aleesa Mukhtiar, Kainat Eiman, Muskan Abid and Tayyaba Imdad.

Team management: Wasim Yousafi (head coach), Aisha Jalil (manager), Shakir Qayyum (assistant coach), Zulfiqar Babar (spin bowling coach), Muhammad Ramzan (strength and conditioning coach), Muhammad Usman Shahid (analyst) and Rabia Siddiq (physio).

Schedule:

January 24 – Tri-series first T20 match (Bangladesh Women U19 v Sri Lanka Women U19); Sheikh Kamal International Cricket Stadium, Cox’s Bazar

January 25 – Tri-series second T20 match (Pakistan Women U19 v Sri Lanka Women U19); Sheikh Kamal International Cricket Stadium, Cox’s Bazar

January 27 – Tri-series third T20 match (Bangladesh Women U19 v Pakistan Women U19); Sheikh Kamal International Cricket Stadium, Cox’s Bazar

January 28 – Tri-series fourth T20 match (Bangladesh Women U19 v Sri Lanka Women U19); Sheikh Kamal International Cricket Stadium, Cox’s Bazar

January 30 – Tri-series fifth T20 match (Pakistan Women U19 v Sri Lanka Women U19); Sheikh Kamal International Cricket Stadium, Cox’s Bazar

January 31 – Tri-series sixth T20 match (Bangladesh Women U19 v Pakistan Women U19); Sheikh Kamal International Cricket Stadium, Cox’s Bazar

February 2 – Tri-series final; Sheikh Kamal International Cricket Stadium, Cox’s Bazar.