ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday named a 17-member women’s squad for the ODI and T20I series against South Africa. Javeria Khan will lead the team in the absence of Bismah Maroof who pulled out of the tour due to family reasons.

Urooj Mumtaz-led selection committee, which also includes Asmavia Iqbal and Marina Iqbal, considered on-field performances in the National Triangular T20 Women’s Cricket Champ­ionship played from Nov 22-Dec 1 in Rawalpindi along with form and fitness of the players at the High Perfor­mance and probables camp while finalising the squad.

Kainat Imtiaz, Nahida Khan, Ayesha Zafar and Nashra Sandhu return to the women’s national team for the tour in which they will play the hosts in three ODIs and as many T20Is.

Nahida Khan finished the National Triangular T20 Women’s Cricket Champ­ionship as the leading run-scorer (154) at an average above 51 from her four outings. Her PCB Dyna­mites teammate Ayesha Zafar was the fourth best batter in the tournament with 111 runs.

All-rounder Kainat Imtiaz was awarded player of the tournament award as she scored 111 runs from four outings, getting dismissed just once. She also took three wickets while left-arm spinner Nashra Sandhu finished as the joint leading wicket-taker in the tournament with four wickets at 25.

When the Pakistan team take the field against South Africa for the first ODI at Kingsmead in Durban on Jan 20 it will mark their return to international cricket after over 10 months due to the Covid-19-enforced hiatus.

After the second one-dayer at the same venue on Jan 23, the Pakistan team will move to Pieterm­aritzburg where they will play the third ODI on Jan 26 and the first two T20Is on Jan 29 and 31, respectively.

For the last T20I on Feb 3, which will also be the last match of the tour, the team will return to Durban.

Urooj, heading national women’s selection committee, said: “We have seen significant improvement over the last three months in the intent and mindset of the players and the team is shaping up well for the upcoming series. The squad is well balanced and possesses a good blend of youth and experience for what promises to be an exciting tour.

“Javeria is an experienced campaigner and has the desired understanding of the game which is necessary to lead the national women’s team. She has undertaken this responsibility in the past and I am certain she will rise to the occasion and inspire the players,” she said. “Our last tour to South Africa in 2018 produced high-quality cricket and we are looking forward to yet another competitive tour, which will be instrumental for the new head coach David Hemp as well as in our preparations for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup Qualifiers.”

The squad will continue to prepare for the tour in the bio-secure environment, which was set up on Dec 20 for the probables camp in Karachi before their departure on Jan 11.

Squad: Javeria Khan (captain), Aimen Anwar, Aliya Riaz, Anam Amin, Ayesha Naseem, Ayesha Zafar, Diana Baig, Fatima Sana, Kainat Imtiaz, Muneeba Ali Siddiqui, Nahida Khan, Nashra Sandhu, Nida Dar, Omaima Sohail, Sadia Iqbal, Sidra Nawaz (wk) and Syeda Aroob Shah.

Published in Dawn, January 1st, 2021