Pakistan’s Bismah Maroof named captain of Women’s Global Development Squad

ISLAMABAD, Oct 03 (APP):Pakistan’s Bismah Maroof has been named captain of a Women’s Global Development Squad (WGDS) for a tour of Australia where they will play against Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) teams as well as the part of different WBBL squads for their first-round tournament matches.

The 28-year-old Pakistan captain, who has represented her country in 103 ODIs and 100 T20Is, will lead a 13-member squad comprising players from eight countries who would to play six T20 matches in what is the fourth such exposure tour announced by the International Cricket Council.
Bismah said she is “very excited” at the opportunity of leading the WGDS side.

She said , “It’s an honour to be leading this side. This is an excellent platform provided by the ICC for players of different sides. As a captain, I will try my level best to share my experiences on and off the field. There will be girls from different cultures and it will be a new challenge for me,” icc-cricket.com reported .

“I have led my country, where I know all the players, but this will be new experience. It is an important platform, where we will play against star players of the Big Bash. My own game will also develop in a new environment and I will be able to help the Pakistan team in future.”

ICC Women’s Cricket Manager Holly Colvin feels the WGDS squads play a vital role in improving the standard of the women’s game, which is at a key juncture.

I’m confident Bismah’s leadership and the opportunity of playing against quality opposition will help them improve as players, Holly Colvin said.

“The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2020 is just over four months away, so it is exciting that these players have the chance to play in Australian conditions,” Colvin said .

The maximum representation in the squad is from Thailand, who boast three players including captain and leading spinner Sornnarin Tippoch, who is ranked 22nd among bowlers in the ICC Women’s T20I Player Rankings. Spinner Suleeporn Laomi and batter Naruemol Chaiwai are the others from Thailand, who have qualified for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in Australia next year.

Scotland (seamer Katie McGill and wicketkeeper Sarah Bryce), Papua New Guinea (spinner Kaia Arua and batter Tanya Ruma) and Bangladesh (all-rounder Rumana Ahmad and wicketkeeper Nigar Sultana Joty) have two players each in the squad while seamers Hannah Rowe of New Zealand, Lara Maritz of Ireland and Ni Made Putri Suwandewi of Indonesia are the others in the multi-nation squad.