Javeria to lead Pakistan women team in South Africa

LAHORE: The women national selection committee on Thursday named Javeria Khan to lead the 17-player squad for ODI and T20I series against South Africa, which will be played in Durban and Pietermaritzburg.

She has been given the role because regular captain Bismah Maroof pulled out for “personal reasons”.

Urooj Mumtaz-led selection committee, which includes Asmavia Iqbal and Marina Iqbal, considered on-field performances in the National Triangular T20 Women’s Cricket Championship, played from November 22 to December 1 in Rawalpindi, along with form and fitness of the players in the High Performance while finalising the squad.

Ayesha Zafar, Kainat Imtiaz, Nahida Khan and Nashra Sandhu return to the team for the tour in which they will play the hosts in three ODIs and as many T20Is.

Nahida Khan finished the National Triangular T20 Women’s Cricket Championship as the leading run-scorer with 154 runs at an average above 51 from her four outings. Her PCB Dynamites teammate Ayesha Zafar was the fourth best batter in the tournament with 111 runs.

All-rounder Kainat Imtiaz was declared the player of the tournament as she scored 111 runs from four outings and took three wickets.

Left-arm spinner Nashra Sandhu finished as the joint leading wicket-taker in the tournament with four wickets at 25.

Urooj said: “The squad has been selected after closely observing the players in the recent High Performance and probables camps and the National Triangular T20 Women’s Cricket Championship. We have seen significant improvement over the last three months in the intent and mindset of the players and the team is shaping up well for the upcoming series. The squad is well balanced and possesses a good blend of youth and experience for what promises to be an exciting tour.