KARACHI, April 22 The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Women`s Wing on Wednesday appointed Mansoor Rana as the new coach of the national women`s team for the forthcoming Twenty20 Women`s World Cup while also taking on Abdul Majeed as the fielding coach.
Further changes include Sunaina Muneer as physiotherapist in place of the National Cricket Academy (NCA) physio Huma Imtiaz Tahami, who had remained with the team since 2007, though NCA trainer Yasir Malik has been retained.
Ayesha Ashhar`s future as team manager will be decided after investigation on her gets completed.
Meanwhile, Nasreen Gulshan, Women`s Wing Secretary Ayesha Ashar`s former sports teacher from Queen Mary College has been appointed as the commandant of the camp being held from April 25 in preparation for the coming tournament.
When Dawn contacted Women`s Wing Chairperson Shireen Javed on Wednesday to ask what became of the former team coach Umer Rashid, whose hard work has got the team to the number six ranking, she said “We get all our professional coaches from the NCA so he must be going back to the academy now.”
About the coaching change, she said “Mansoor Rana has proven his worth by coaching the `A` team, which recently returned after clean sweeping Hong Kong 3-0 in the three 50-over matches played there. Our fielding coach too has shown good performance as coach of the Sialkot Stallions.”
About whether more changes, in terms of captaincy, were in store, Mrs Javed said “Could be, but it is too early to say. I will announce the team on May 4 and you will know then.”
About what she thought of the current skipper Urooj Mumtaz Khan`s getting such an impressive offer to play for the Sydney Cricket Club and coach Australian youth, Mrs Javed said “You have no idea how proud and happy I am to learn of this. Besides being a great player, Urooj is also a great person. It is not at all a problem for the Women`s Wing as the offer comes with an understanding that she will be relieved for national duty whenever required. I wish her all the best.”
The camp at Lahore Country Club, Muridke concludes on May 22.
Probables
Sana Mir, Bismah Maroof, Nain Abidi, Sajida Shah, Sukhan Faiz, Nazia Sadiq, Qanita Jalil, Almas Akram, Asmavia Iqbal, Kainat Imtiaz, Salma Faiz, Naila Nazir, Armaan Khan, Urooj Mumtaz Khan, Javeria Wadood, Nahida Khan, Sania Iqbal Khan, Batool Fatima, Marina Iqbal, Zeba Manzoor Hussain, Sumaiya Siddiqui, Saima Jamil, Mehwish Tariq, Masooma Junaid Farooqi, Nimra Imran, Komal Feroz, Rabia Batool, Badar-un-Nisa Shaukat, Sadia Yousaf, Farzana Shafi.
Officials
Mansoor Rana (coach), Abdul Majeed (fielding coach), Gulshan Nasreen (camp commandant), Yasir Malik (trainer) and Sunaina Muneer (physiotherapist).