Islamabad, Dec 14 (Online): Fast bowler Diana Baig has been named in Pakistan’s squads for the ODI and T20I series in Australia in January and the women’s T20 World Cup in South Africa in February, after recovering from a shoulder injury. Pakistan will be taking the same set of players to the T20Is in Australia and the World Cup.
Left-arm spinner Sadia Iqbal also made a return to both the ODI and T20I squads, while legspinner Tuba Hassan has been picked for her first T20 World Cup after missing the home series against Ireland in November. With Fatima Sana, Sadia, Tuba and Baig, Pakistan have largely brought together the same bowling group that took them to the semi-finals of the T20 Asia Cup in Bangladesh this October.
Fast bowler Kainat Imtiaz did not make the T20 World Cup squad but was picked for the ODIs in Australia despite taking only one wicket in two matches against Ireland. Anam Amin, a T20 specialist, was also left out of the squads. Offspinner Umm-e-Hani, who made her international debut in the third ODI against Ireland in October, was not part of the squad in either format.
Bismah Maroof will lead the Pakistan team on both campaigns, while former captain Javeria Khan is part of the T20 squad, and in the list of reserves for the ODI series in Australia.
“I wish luck to the players who have been selected for both the Australia series and ICC Women’s T20 World Cup,” Asmavia Iqbal, the women’s chief selector, said. “I am hopeful the side will continue to perform in the same manner they have performed recently in the ACC Women’s Asia Cup and Ireland series. The ODI series against Australia is very crucial, the expectations are high as we have won five of the six ICC Championship matches and our aim is to qualify directly for the 50-over World Cup.
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