The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced a 15-member squad for the upcoming ICC Women's T20 World Cup and named Fatima Sana as the new captain of the side. Fatima Sana has replaced Nida Dar as the T20I captain of Pakistan.
The decision to remove Nida as captain seems to be driven by her lack of success in the shortest format of the game. The 37-year-old has led Pakistan in 24 T20Is and managed to win only nine of them.
With 15 losses in her career as the T20I captain of the country, Nida has not been able to produce the desired results and therefore the selectors are now looking at Fatima to take the team forward in the right direction.
A press release issued by the Pakistan Cricket Board has revealed that the decision to let Fatima lead the T20I side ahead of the marquee tournament was taken unanimously by the selection committee comprising Asad Shafiq, and Batool Fatima.
Notably, Fatima, 22, has no experience of leading the senior side in the T20I format. She has only captained Pakistan twice in the ODI circuit with a win and a loss to her credit.
The selectors have backed the same set of players who were a part of Pakistan's squad for the ACC Women's Asia Cup in Sri Lanka barring one change. Batter Sadaf Shamas has made her way into the World Cup squad at the expense of wicketkeeper Najiha Alvi. Alvi has been named as a travelling reserve.
Pakistan squad for ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024:
Fatima Sana (captain), Aliya Riaz, Diana Baig, Gull Feroza, Iram Javed, Muneeba Ali (wicket-keeper), Nashra Sandhu, Nida Dar, Omaima Sohail, Sadaf Shamas, Sadia Iqbal (subject to fitness), Sidra Amin, Syeda Aroob Shah, Tasmia Rubab and Tuba Hassan
Travelling reserve: Najiha Alvi (wicket-keeper)
Non-travelling reserves: Rameen Shamim and Umm-e-Hani
