Pakistan have named a 15-player squad for the women’s ODI World Cup, handing a first international 50-over chance to 20-year-old top-order batter Eyman Fatima and confirming all-rounder Fatima Sana as captain.
The same group will face South Africa in three ODIs in Lahore from 16 September, matches the selectors view as a dress rehearsal for the global tournament that starts on 30 September.
Chief selector Saleem Jaffer kept the announcement low-key, saying in a PCB release: “We wanted continuity but also a bit of freshness. Eyman has earned her spot on weight of runs at domestic level.”
Sana, 22, led Pakistan during the qualifying event in Lahore earlier this year and now takes charge at a senior World Cup for the first time. “It’s an honour, no doubt,” she noted. “But it’s also a responsibility. We’ve spoken about playing fearless but smart cricket.”
Key ins and outs
• Eyman Fatima and Sadaf Shamas come in.
• Wicketkeeper-batters Gull Feroza and Najiha Alvi drop to the five-strong reserve list, joined by Tuba Hassan, Umm-e-Hani and Waheeda Akhtar.
Eyman’s senior experience is limited to three T20Is in Dublin earlier this month, scores of 23 and 4 offering only a glimpse of her promise. Head coach Muhammad Wasim sounded pragmatic: “She’ll need time, yet her technique against pace impressed us.”
Preparation plans
All 20 players – squad plus reserves – assemble for a 14-day camp in Karachi from 29 August before shifting to Lahore. South Africa land on 12 September; the visitors will train at the National High-Performance Centre.
World Cup itinerary
Pakistan open against Bangladesh on 2 October and meet India three days later, both fixtures in Colombo. All seven league matches are scheduled for the Sri Lankan capital; if Pakistan qualify, they will also stay in Colombo for the first semi-final. The second semi-final is in Navi Mumbai, as is the final on 2 November – unless Pakistan get there, in which case the match moves to Colombo under ICC security protocols.
Balanced expectations
Analyst Urooj Mumtaz believes the squad is “fairly settled” but warned: “Death overs bowling remains a concern, and most of the top order is right-handed, which can make us predictable.”
Former captain Sana Mir, however, sees progress: “The bench strength is better than it was two years ago. That matters in a long tournament.”
Squad in full
Fatima Sana (capt), Muneeba Ali (vice-capt), Aliya Riaz, Diana Baig, Eyman Fatima, Nashra Sandhu, Natalia Pervaiz, Omaima Sohail, Rameen Shamim, Sadaf Shamas, Sadia Iqbal, Shawaal Zulfiqar, Sidra Amin, Sidra Nawaz (wk), Syeda Aroob Shah
Reserves: Gull Feroza, Najiha Alvi, Tuba Hassan, Umm-e-Hani, Waheeda Akhtar
The next six weeks, then, are about fine-tuning rather than wholesale change. As Sana put it, “We know the areas we need to nail. Now it’s about doing it under pressure.”
