Pakistan Women announce squad for Commonwealth Games, Bismah Maroof to lead

Pakistan are scheduled to lock horns with Barbados, India and Australia on July 29, 31 and August 3 in Birmingham.

Pakistan Women have named a strong 18-member squad for the upcoming Commonwealth Games and a tri-series in Belfast also involving hosts Ireland and world champions Australia. Even as the tri-series is scheduled to take place from July 16 to 24, the Games will start after that.

Pakistan are scheduled to lock horns with Barbados, India and Australia on July 29, 31 and August 3 in Birmingham. The squad was finalised after discussions among skipper Bismah Maroof, Asmavia Iqbal, the national women's team’s chief selector, and head coach David Hemp.

“I want to congratulate our team for putting up a solid and dominating display in Karachi against Sri Lanka and I am sure these girls will continue their form in the ICC Women’s Championship fixtures. Our team has all the potential to do well in the United Kingdom and I wish them the very best for the tri-series and Commonwealth Games,” Head of Women's Cricket, Tania Mallick said.

“I want to thank the Commonwealth Games for accepting our request to accommodate our captain Bismah Maroof’s family at the games village, which will allow her to focus on the task at hand without any worries about her young infant daughter,” she added.

Among the players in the squad, Ghulam Fatima, Sadaf Shamas and Umme Hani have been included in the reserves. The Pakistan team will take part in an extensive training session in Islamabad at House of Northern from 1 to 11 July before departing for the UK on 12 July.

Bismah Maroof (captain), Aimen Anwar, Aliya Riaz, Anam Amin, Ayesha Naseem, Diana Baig, Fatima Sana, Gull Feroza (wicketkeeper), Iram Javed, Kainat Imtiaz, Muneeba Ali Siddiqui (wicketkeeper), Nida Dar, Omaima Sohail, Sadia Iqbal and Tuba Hassan.