PAK-W vs SA-W: Star Pacer Diana Baig Returns As Pakistan Name Squads For Home White-Ball Series Against South Africa

Star Pacer Diana Baig Returns As Pakistan Name Squads For Home White-Ball Series Against South Afric (Image Source: Google)

Pakistan have named two 15-member women's squads for their upcoming home white-ball series against South Africa with star pacer Diana Baig making a return after her recovery from a finger injury. The series consists of three T20Is and three ODIs, with the ODIs being part of the ICC Women’s Championship 2022-25. The white-ball series will be played between September 1 to 14, with all the matches taking place at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi. The home side will be bolstered by the return of Baig to both squads. She is making a comeback to the fold after a prolonged absence from a finger injury, which kept her out of the game for more than six months. Baig sustained a finger injury in the third One-Day International against Australia in January this year.

Pakistan have also handed a call-up to 18-year-old Shawaal Zulfiqar in the T20I squad. She has also been included in Pakistan’s squad for next month’s Asian Games.

Leg-spinner Syeda Aroob Shah is also making a comeback in the T20I side after more than three years. She last featured for Pakistan in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in 2020.

All-rounder Natalia Parvez also gets her first call-up in the T20I side after 2018 and is also kept as a reserve in the ODI squad. Uncapped wicketkeeper-batter Najiha Alvi is also included in the T20I side.

In the ODI squad, Umm-e-Hani and Waheeda Akhtar have been included replacing Ayesha Naseem and Kainat Imtiaz. Naseem recently announced her retirement from international cricket.

Both the squads will be captained by experienced all-rounder Nida Dar, who will lead the side after taking over from Bismah Maroof after she stepped down from captaincy after the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in February this year.

Pakistan squads:

T20I squad: Nida Dar (c), Aliya Riaz, Bismah Maroof, Diana Baig, Fatima Sana, Muneeba Ali, Najiha Alvi (wk), Nashra Sundhu, Natalia Parvaiz, Sadaf Shamas, Sadia Iqbal, Shawaal Zulfiqar, Sidra Amin, Syeda Aroob Shah and Umm-e-Hani

Reserves: Anoosha Nasir, Omaima Sohail and Waheeda Akhtar

ODI squad: Nida Dar (c), Aliya Riaz, Bismah Maroof, Diana Baig, Fatima Sana, Ghulam Fatima, Muneeba Ali, Nashra Sundhu, Omaima Sohail, Sadaf Shamas, Sadia Iqbal, Sidra Amin, Sidra Nawaz (wk), Umm-e-Hani and Waheeda Akhtar

Reserves: Najiha Alvi, Natalia Parvaiz and Tuba Hassan