PCB has announced Pakistan Women’s team for the Asian Games 2023. And there comes a huge blow for the Pakistan Women as their ex-captain Bismah Maroof has opted out of the Asian Games 2023 as the event doesn’t allow athletes to carry their children to the marquee event.
The PCB announced Bismah’s decision while naming their 15-member squad for the Asian Games 2023. The team will be led by Nida Dar & is a fresh combination of experienced & young players.
What did PCB say on Maroof’s absence in Asian Games 2023
Announcing the decision PCB said that Maroof will not accompany the team to Hangzhou Asian Games as she can’t take her infant daughter with her due to strict regulations in place.
The PCB said,
“Regrettably, the team will not have the opportunity to have Bismah Maroof’s valuable presence at this event. The reason is that she cannot bring her infant daughter to the Games village due to the existing regulations. It’s an unfortunate situation for us,”
Head of Women’s Cricket, Tania Mallick said.
Anoosha & Zulfiqar receives maiden call-ups in Pakistan Senior Team
The 15-member squad was finalized on the basis of discussions held between Saleem Jaffar, head coach Mark Coles, and captain Nida Dar. The team management & selection committee decided to hand Left-arm spinner Anoosha Nasir and right-handed batter Shawaal Zulfiqar call-ups to the Asian Games 2023 squad. They received the privilege to play with the National team on the basis of their blistering performances in the ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup and Emerging Women’s Teams Asia Cup. The squad will mark the return of Diana Baig who has recovered from a finger injury sustained during the final ODI between Pakistan & Australia in January 2023.
Pakistan Women’s team has won gold medals in the last two editions of the Asian Games held in Guangzhou, China in 2010 and Incheon, South Korea in 2014. They are strongly aiming for a hat-trick by winning a Gold in the upcoming edition of the Asian Games to be played from September 19 to 26.
As per the ICC T20I rankings & tournament rules, the team will feature in the quarter-finals scheduled to take place from September 22 to 24. The semi-finals will be played on September 25, while the final will take place on September 26. The Bronze medal match will also take place on the 26th.
For the unversed, earlier this week, Ayesha Naseem an-18-year-old Pakistan Women’s team cricketer announced her retirement from the game due to personal reasons. Ayesha has so far featured in four ODIs & 30 T20Is. Her decision came as a shock for the Pakistan cricket team as she was a top-order batter & has amassed 369 runs at an average of 18.45 in T20Is. While in ODIs her runs-tally is 33 runs.
Let’s have a look at the Pakistan Squad for Asian Games 2023
Aliya Riaz, Anoosha Nasir, Diana Baig, Nida Dar (capt), Fatima Sana, Muneeba Ali, Najiha Alvi, Nataliya Parveiz, Omaima Sohail, Nashra Sandhu, Sadaf Shamas, Shawaal Zulfiqar, Sidra Ameen, Syeda Aroob Shah, and Umm-e-Hani.
Can Pakistan script history by winning their third Asian Games title or we will see the rise of new Champions?
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