4 Feb, Colombo (CRICKETNMORE): Pakistan wicketkeeper Sidra Nawaz is the latest player to pull out due to injury from the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier 2017 to be held in Colombo from 7-21 February.
This is the eighth withdrawal since the initial squad announcements by different teams and includes that of India pace bowler Jhulan Goswami, who is top-ranked in the MRF Tyres ICC Women’s Rankings for Bowlers.
The 22-year-old Sidra, who has played 15 One Day Internationals and 16 Twenty20 Internationals, suffered a leg injury off the field. Sidra has been replaced by Rabiya Shah who also has sufficient experience at the international level, having played 20 ODIs and 15 T20Is.
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Left-arm spinner Anam Amin and batter Sidra Ameen are the other Pakistan players to have withdrawn from the 10-team tournament which offers sides a chance to qualify for the ICC Women’s World Cup 2017 and the ICC Women’s Championship, while also assuring ODI status to the top six teams for the next four-year cycle.
Left-arm spinner Sadia Yousuf and left-handed batter Muneeba Ali have come into the Pakistan side. Muneeba has played five T20Is but is yet to figure in an ODI.
India has also had to make three changes starting from the early withdrawal of frontline batter Smriti Mandhana, who was injured playing for Brisbane Heat in the Women’s Big Bash League and had to be replaced with Mona Meshram.
Goswami and Sukanya Parida are the other withdrawals from the India side with Mansi Joshi and Soni Yadav their replacements.
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For Bangladesh, Fahima Khatun and Lata Mondol have been replaced by Shaila Sharmin and Murshida Khatun.
India, Sri Lanka, Ireland, Zimbabwe and Thailand are clubbed in Group A while Group B consists of South Africa, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Scotland and Papua New Guinea. The top three teams from either group will advance to the Super Six stage with the top two teams playing the final on 21 February.