Iram Javed Returns as Pakistan announce Squad for Bangladesh Tour

Iram Javed makes a comeback to the Pakistan squad after a one-year gap as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced the Pakistan squad for the Bangladesh tour on Thursday (October 12). Allrounder Fatima Sana, who continues to recover from injury, will not travel to Bangladesh. Teenagers Shawaal Zulfiqar and Syeda Aroob Shah could not make it into the Nida Dar-led 15-member squad. 

Pakistan's tour of Bangladesh will include three T20Is and three ODIs which will be a part of the ICC Women’s Championship 2022-25. The six-match white-ball tour will kick off with a T20I on October 25 in Chittogram.

Sana has been excluded from the squad as she is not completely fit and continues to recover from the leg injury sustained during the second ODI against South Africa. Sana also did not feature in Pakistan's Asian Games 2022 campaign in China.

Shawaal Zulfiqar and Syeda Aroob Shah have been dropped from the squad. Both Zulfiqar and Shah were a part of the squad for the recently concluded home series against South Africa with Zulfiqar making her international debut in the series. 

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Chief Selector Salim Jaffar shared about the omission of the 18-year-old batter, "Young Shawaal Zulfiqar has been omitted from the squad as she requires more grooming before representing again at the international level." As for Javed's inclusion, he exclaimed, "Iram’s presence will undoubtedly strengthen our batting order in Bangladesh conditions." 

The selection committee has carefully deliberated over the squad, Jaffar explained, adding that their aim is "to strike the right balance between bat and ball, as we believe this squad is well-equipped to face the challenges in Bangladesh."

On the absence of Sana from the squad, Jaffer added, "We are committed to giving her the time she needs to be fully prepared for the upcoming away series against New Zealand where the selection committee feels the right-arm fast bowler will be more productive.”

The Pakistan squad will have a six-day training camp before traveling to Bangladesh on October 20. 

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Pakistan squad: Nida Dar (C), Aliya Riaz, Bismah Maroof, Diana Baig, Ghulam Fatima, Iram Javed, Muneeba Ali (WK), Najiha Alvi (WK), Nashra Sundhu, Natalia Parvaiz, Sadaf Shamas, Sadia Iqbal, Sidra Amin, Umm-e-Hani, Waheeda Akhtar

Fixtures:

October 25: 1st T20I, ZACS, Chattogram (day and night)

October 27:  T20I, ZACS, Chattogram (day and night)

October 29: 3rd T20I, ZACS, Chattogram (day and night)

November 4: 1st ODI, SBNCS, Mirpur

November 7: 2nd ODI at SBNCS, Mirpur

November 10: 3rd ODI at SBNCS, Mirpur