Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced a 15-member squad for the upcoming Women's Asia Cup in Sri Lanka. Senior all-rounder Nida Dar has retained her spot as the captain of the team while there have been some major omissions from the team that remained winless on England tour. Dar is set to continue despite the lean patch and the team's results which saw Pakistan lose 2-0 in ODIs and 3-0 in T20Is against England.
Ayesha Zafar and Shadaf Shamas are two notable absentees from the squad that played against England while four players have been called up to the side, who are yet to play international cricket in 2024. Iram Javed, Omaima Sohail and Syeda Aroob Shah, who all played previously for the national side last year have been called up while the 22-year-old pacer Tasmia Rubab has earned her maiden national call-up for Pakistan.
The PCB announced the squad after the end of the four-day camp in Karachi on June 29. Before the team departs to Sri Lanka, it will have another 12-day camp starting July 5 and will go on till July 16. The Asia Cup will also be the first tournament for the new head coach Mohammad Wasim, assistant coach Junaid Khan and spin bowling coach Abdur Rehman.
Pakistan are in Group A alongside India, Nepal and the UAE and will begin their campaign against the arch-rivals India on July 19, the opening day of the tournament. All matches are set to take place in Dambulla, with the two semi-finals scheduled to be held on July 26 and the final on Sunday, July 28.
Pakistan squad for the Women's Asia Cup 2024: Nida Dar (c), Aliya Riaz, Diana Baig, Fatima Sana, Gull Feroza, Iram Javed, Muneeba Ali, Najiha Alvi, Nashra Sandhu, Omaima Sohail, Sadia Iqbal, Sidra Amin, Syeda Aroob Shah, Tasmia Rubab, Tuba Hassan
