20 probables for West Indies women series announced

Lahore: The women’s national selection committee led by Saleem Jaffar on Monday named 20 probables for the forthcoming white-ball series against West Indies women scheduled to take place at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi from 18 April to 3 May. The series includes three ODIs – part of the ICC Women’s Championship 2022-25 and five T20Is.

The first ball in the ODIs (18, 21 and 23 April) will be bowled at 330pm, while the T20Is (26, 28, 30 April, 2 and 3 May) will begin at 730pm.

Ayesha Zafar (29 ODIs, 20 T20Is), Gul Feroza (2 ODIs), Rameen Shamim (3 ODIs, 4T20Is), Sidra Nawaz (67 ODIs, 56 T20Is) and Tuba Hassan (1 ODI, 21 T20Is) are the players making a comeback. Omaima Sohail (dropped) and Shawaal Zulfiqar (recovering from shoulder injury), who were part of the 17-member squad that was named for the last bilateral series against New Zealand women’s team, have been omitted from the camp probables.

The selection committee in consultation with the captain and interim head-coach will announce the 15-member squad for the ODI series during the camp in Karachi. The remaining five players of the probables camp will be released to take part in the domestic Women’s One-Day Tournament (to be announced in due course).

Probables:

Aliya Riaz, Ayesha Zafar, Bismah Maroof, Diana Baig, Fatima Sana, Ghulam Fatima, Gul Feroza, Muneeba Ali, Najiha Alvi (wk), Nashra Sundhu, Natalia Parvaiz, Nida Dar, Rameen Shamim, Sadaf Shamas, Sadia Iqbal, Sidra Amin, Sidra Nawaz (wk), Tuba Hassan, Umm-e-Hani and Waheeda Akhtar

Player support personnel: Saira Iftikhar (manager), Mauhtashim Rashid (interim head coach), Saleem Jaffar (bowling coach), Taufeeq Umar (batting coach), Hanif Malik (fielding coach), Muhammad Javed (strength and conditioning coach), Syed Nazir Ahmed (media manager), Rabia Siddiq (physiotherapist), Zubair Ahmed (analyst) and Nadia Arif (masseuse)

Chief Selector Saleem Jaffar: “The selection committee has chosen 20 probable players based on their performances in both domestic and international circuits. Ayesha Zafar, Gul Feroza, Rameen Shamim, Sidra Nawaz, and Tuba Hassan have been added to the probables camp following their performances in the last domestic event, as we aim to broaden our pool of players.

“The upcoming series against West Indies, which includes ICC Women’s Championship matches, is of utmost importance as we strive to earn maximum points to strengthen our claim for direct qualification in the ICC Women’s 50-over World Cup.”

The 20-member squad will assemble in Karachi on Monday, 1 April and will undergo a seven-day camp in Karachi from 2 April at the Hanif Mohammad High Performance Centre. The squad members and the team management will return to their hometown on 9 April for Eid and the squad will assemble again in Karachi on 13 April.

Series schedule:

14 Apr – West Indies women’s team arrival in Karachi

18 Apr – First ODI at National Bank Stadium (NBS), Karachi (330pm local time) (ICC Women’s Championship)

21 Apr – Second ODI at NBS (330pm local time) (ICC Women’s Championship)

23 Apr – Third ODI at NBS (330pm local time) (ICC Women’s Championship)

26 Apr – First T20I at NBS (730pm local time)

28 Apr – Second T20I at NBS (730pm local time)

30 Apr – Third T20I at NBS (730pm local time)

2 May – Fourth T20I at NBS (730pm local time)

3 May – Fifth T20I at NBS (730pm local time)