LAHORE: International Aroob Shah was on Wednesday appointed Pakistan captain for the inaugural ICC U-19 Women’s T20 World Cup being played in South Africa from Jan 14 to 29.

Women’s chief selector Asmavia Iqbal announced the 15-player squad and five reserves players who were selected on the basis of their performances in this year’s Women U-19 T20 Tournament held at the Lahore Country Club, Muridke from Aug 13 to 22.

To further assess their fitness and skills, the U-19 players also featured in the first phase of T20 Women’s Cricket Tournament held at Lahore’s LCCA Ground from Nov 26 to Dec 2.

Sixteen teams, divided into four groups of four teams each, are participating in the World Cup featuring 41 matches to be staged in Benoni and Potchefstroom.

As per ICC’s eligibility criteria for the event, the players born on or after Sept 1, 2003 have been selected.

Pakistan are placed in Group ‘B’ also featuring England, Zimbabwe and Rwanda.

Squad: Aroob Shah (captain) (Sindh), Aliza Khan (Sindh), Anosha Nasir (Sindh), Areesha Noor (Central Punjab), Eyman Fatima (Central Punjab), Haleema Azeem Dar (Central Punjab), Haniah Ahmer (Sindh), Laiba Nasir (Central Punjab), Mahnoor Aftab (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Quratulain Ahsen (Central Punjab), Rida Aslam (Central Punjab), Shawaal Zulfiqar (Central Punjab), Warda Yousuf (Central Punjab), Zaib-un-Nisa (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Zamina Tahir (Central Punjab)

Reserves: Aqsa Yousuf (Southern Punjab), Dina Razvi (Sindh), Maham Anees (Northern), Muskan Abid (Central Punjab) and Tahzeeb Shah (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa)

Support staff: Aisha Jalil (manager), Mohsin Kamal (head coach), Mohammad Kamran Hussain (assistant coach), Saboor Ahmad (strength and conditioning coach), Mohammad Usman Shahid (analyst), Rabia Siddiq (physio), Dr Hafiz Salman Asif (doctor)

Schedule of Pakistan’s matches at the ICC U-19 Women’s T20 World Cup:

Jan 15: Pakistan vs Rwanda, Potchefstroom

Jan 17: Pakistan vs England, Potchefstroom

Jan 19: Pakistan vs Zimbabwe, Potchefstroom.

Published in Dawn, December 8th, 2022