Cape Town (South Africa): Pakistan women’s team will be eying to secure a semifinal berth for the first time in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup as they begin their journey in the ten-team tournament against India at the Newlands in Cape Town on Sunday.
Bismah Maroof will be leading the side in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup for the second time, after captaining the side in the previous edition held in Australia in 2020. She along with opening batter Javeria Khan will be featuring in their eighth edition of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.
Pakistan’s 15-member squad includes an exciting blend of young and senior players.
The side consist of leg-spinner Tuba, right-handed opening batter Sidra Amin and all-rounder Nida Dar – who have won ICC Player of the Month awards last year. Gujranwala-born Nida, who has featured in 126 T20Is, has 121 wickets to her name and requires only five more wickets to go past West Indies’ Anisa Mohammad tally of 125 wickets to become highest wicket-taker in this format in women’s cricket.
The side will be banking on experienced Aliya Riaz and young hard-hitting batter Ayesha Naseem to do well with the bat in the middle overs.
The bowling unit will be spearheaded by ICC Emerging Cricketer of the Year 2021 Fatima Sana, who will be playing her first T20I in the mega event.
Fatima will have the support of experienced Aimen Anwar, with spinners Nashra Sandhu, Sadia Iqbal and Tuba also there to provide stability to the bowling department. Aliya and Nida are also handy with the ball with their right-arm medium and right-arm off-spin bowling, respectively.
Pakistan are placed in Group B and after their tournament opener tomorrow at the Newlands, Cape Town they will take on Ireland women (15 February) in an evening game at the same venue.
Pakistan women’s team will then travel to Boland Park, Paarl to feature in their third Group B fixture against West Indies on 19 February, before returning back to the Newlands to feature in their final group match against England on 21 February.
The semifinals will be played on 23 and 24 February. The final will be held on 26 February.
