Diana Baig returns as Pakistan announce squad for the 2023 Women’s T20 World Cup

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), on Wednesday, announced their 15-member squad for the upcoming Women’s T20 World Cup 2023, scheduled to be held in South Africa from February 10 to February 26.

The apex cricket board has named the ODI squad for the Australia tour, starting January 16 in Brisbane. Further, the tour down under will also witness a three-match T20I leg, for which the same squad has been picked as was for the T20I World Cup.

Veteran seamer Diana Baig has made her comeback after missing out in the home series against Ireland in October-November due to a shoulder injury. Her last appearance came during the group stage match against Thailand at the Asia Cup 2022. Regular skipper Bismah Maroof will continue to lead the team in both assignments.

Pakistan will play three ODIs against Australia, which is part of the ICC Women’s Cricket Championship 2022-25 cycle, followed by three T20Is. Then, in the global showpiece event, Pakistan are placed in Group 2 alongside England, India, Ireland and West Indies. The Women in Green will start their campaign against arch-rivals India on February 12 at Newlands in Cape Town.

“The return of Diana Baig, Sadia Iqbal and Tuba Hassan will give a boost to the side and will strengthen our bowling attack, which has the capability to do well. Sidra Nawaz has been added as our second wicket-keeper in the squad to give Muneeba Ali some space to express herself more with the bat, and gives an added option to the captain to utilise the services of a second wicket-keeper on the long tour,” said chief selector Asmavia Iqbal in an official statement.

Pakistan ODI squad for the Australia series:

Bismah Maroof (c), Aliya Riaz, Ayesha Naseem, Diana Baig, Fatima Sana, Ghulam Fatima, Kainat Imtiaz, Muneeba Ali (wk), Nashra Sandhu, Nida Dar, Omaima Sohail, Sadaf Shamas, Sadia Iqbal, Sidra Amin and Sidra Nawaz (wk)

Travelling Reserves: Aimen Anwar, Javeria Khan and Tuba Hassan

Pakistan T20I squad for Australia and Women’s T20 World Cup 2023:

Bismah Maroof (c), Aimen Anwar, Aliya Riaz, Ayesha Naseem, Diana Baig, Fatima Sana, Javeria Khan, Muneeba Ali (wk), Nashra Sandhu, Nida Dar, Omaima Sohail, Sadia Iqbal, Sidra Amin, Sidra Nawaz (wk) and Tuba Hassan.

Reserves: Ghulam Fatima, Kainat Imtiaz and Sadaf Shamas