Nida Dar becomes first Pakistani woman to play Big Bash League

KARACHI: All-rounder Nida Dar has become the first-ever Pakistani woman cricketer to be signed by a Big Bash League team. She will be in action for Sydney Thunders during this season’s Women Big Bash League.

Nida is one of the most successful all-rounders of Pakistan Women team with 88 wickets and 1086 runs in 96 T20Is for Pakistan. She has also played 71 ODIs since her international debut in 2010.

Nida, 32, confirmed that she has been signed by Sydney Thunders and will leave on October 5 for her dream stint as Pakistan’s first-ever woman in Big Bash League.

Earlier this year, the former batting coach of Pakistan Women team, Andy Richards had predicted that Nida could earn a league contract with any Big Bash team.

“The secret of playing in WBBL is to make sure you have got at least two or three skills and Nida Dar has that, she fields really well, she bowls really well and she bats really well and she bowls okay with the left hand as well and the other thing is it that she is reasonably fit, Javeria Khan is another one and she is learning really, really well to hit the ball over cover,” he had told Geo in January 2019.

The 2019 edition of Women Big Bash League will be kicked-off from October 18 with Sydney Thunders taking on Sixers in the opening match.

The stint, experts believe, will help Nida Dar improve her cricketing skills.