A month after Bismah Maroof resigned from the position following the team’s elimination from the T20 World Cup in South Africa’s group stage, Nida Dar has been chosen Pakistan’s all-format captain. Saleem Jaffar will lead the women’s selection committee, while the PCB has also officially announced the hiring of Mark Coles as head coach.
With 126 wickets from 130 games, Dar, 36, is the top wicket-taker in women’s T20 Internationals. In the format, she has also scored 1687 runs at a strike rate of 100.95. She has played 99 ODIs, taking 91 wickets and scoring 1535 runs.
Dar declared, “It’s a big responsibility, and I’m eager to lead the squad in the future competitions. “I want to express my gratitude to the PCB for giving me this duty, and I’ll do everything in my power to move the squad ahead.
“I also want to congratulate Bismah Maroof for leading the team as captain. She did an excellent job, and I intend to carry on her legacy and guide the team with the same fervour and dedication. The next women’s cricket season will be challenging. Yet we are fortunate to have some young, exciting talent in our player pool, which, in my opinion, will both assist the team put on excellent performances over time and significantly develop.
“My goal as captain is to guide and inspire these young players to become top-notch cricketers. If we first establish and then solidify our position in the upper half of the ICC Women’s Championship before edging our way into the top three, I will be incredibly happy and fulfilled.”
Meanwhile, Coles will take over the position he vacated in 2019 due to family obligations. From 2017 to 2019, he served as Pakistan’s head coach. During his tenure, the team won 12 T20I matches and seven ODIs, including the first-ever series triumph over the West Indies in 2019.
The present coaching staff, including Taufeeq Umar (batting coach), Jaffar (bowling coach), and Mohtashim Rasheed (fielding coach), will work with Coles when he moves to Pakistan in May on a two-year deal. Asmavia Iqbal, Marina Iqbal, and Mohtashim Rasheed will be on the selection panel, which will be led by Jaffar as well.
Coles expressed his gratitude to the PCB for providing him with yet another chance to work with the excellent Pakistan Women’s squad. “It has been an honour to work with such a remarkable group of athletes, and I am looking forward to the exciting days to come as we try to build on our accomplishments and performances thus far. The team has a lot of potential, and I look forward to assisting the players in giving it their all and excelling on the international scene.”
Pakistan will play 15 ODIs, which are a part of the ongoing ICC Women’s Championship, and 17 T20Is over an 11-month span from August 2023 to July 2024.
Pakistan Women’s upcoming bilateral series:
Aug-Sep 2023 – vs South Africa (three ODIs & three T20Is at home)
Oct-Nov 2023 – vs Bangladesh (three ODIs & three T20Is away)
Nov-Dec 2023 – vs New Zealand (three ODIs & three T20Is away)
Feb 2024 – vs West Indies (three ODIs & five T20Is at home)
Jul 2024 – vs England (three ODIs & three T20Is away)
