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Pakistan finalises 23-member squad for SAFF Women Cup

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KARACHI: The coaching staff of the Pakistan women’s football team has decided to retain at least seven members from the team that last played an international match for Pakistan in 2014 in the squad for the upcoming South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Women Cup.

Reliable sources have confirmed that the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) has already finalised the list of 23 players, which also includes two overseas players, for the SAFF Women Cup that is scheduled to commence in Nepal on September 6.

Sources privy to matter have confirmed that Hajra Khan, Malika-e-Noor, Nisha Ashraf, Roshan Ali, Sahar Zaman, Mahpara Shahid and Zulfia Nazir are included in the 23-member squad finalised for the tournament — they were also the part of Pakistan women team that played last international game in 2014.

Maliha Nasir, Mishal Akram and Rameen Fareed who have previously played age-group tournaments for the country are also named in Pakistan’s senior squad while Atika Nasir — who was invited for the initial camp in 2014 is also among the players picked by the coaching staff for the upcoming series.

UAE-based Maria Khan and UK-based Nadia Khan will also represent Pakistan in the next month’s tournament.

Other players picked for Pakistan’s squad include Alina Isphani, Anmool Hira, Ghazala Aamir, Khadija Kazmi, Marvi Baig, Nizalia Siddique, Sara Khan, Shahida Amin, Shanza Nazir and Suha Hirani.

PFF had earlier announced 35 players for the training camp in Lahore and after two weeks, the camp was curtailed to 25 players.

PFF has not decided yet on who will wear the captain’s band in the tournament. In the last tournament, the team was led by Hajra Khan. However, Maria — UAE based footballer — has also impressed the officials during the camp in Lahore.

The PFF had last week announced Adeel Rizki as head coach for the women’s team while Waleed Javed was named his assistant and Ehsanullah was named goal keeping coach.

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Haris Rauf and Usman Khan have been included in Pakistan’s ODI team for New Zealand.

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The Pakistan team management has directed fast bowler Haris Rauf and wicketkeeper-batter Usman Khan to remain in New Zealand and integrate into the ODI squad for the forthcoming series.

Simultaneously, eight players from the T20 squad will return to Pakistan, while five others have been integrated into the ODI team in Napier.

After concluding the T20 series, the Pakistan team and coaching staff journeyed from Wellington to Napier. Rauf and Usman, initially members of the T20 squad, have now been incorporated into the ODI roster.

The ODI team now comprises Salman Ali Agha, Haris Rauf, Khushdil Shah, Irfan Khan Niazi, Abrar Ahmed, Sufiyan Muqeem, Muhammad Ali, and Usman Khan.

Simultaneously, Captain Mohammad Rizwan, Babar Azam, and seven additional ODI players were present in Napier. The eight remaining T20 team members, comprising Shadab Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Umair Bin Yousuf, Hassan Nawaz, Mohammad Haris, Abbas Afridi, Abdul Samad, and Jahandad Khan, will return to Pakistan through Dubai.

The three-match ODI series between Pakistan and New Zealand is scheduled to commence on March 29.

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NZ thrash Pakistan in the last Twenty20 match and hit the target in ten overs.

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Tim Siefert’s scorching undefeated score of 97 helped New Zealand overcome Pakistan handily in the last game of the five-match Twenty20 series.

Additionally, Pakistan’s bowlers were costly in the last Twenty20 match. In two overs, Jahandad Khan scored 43 runs at an economy of 21.5, Shadab Khan scored 33 runs at an economy of 16.5, Muhammad Ali scored 27 runs, and Haris Rauf scored 22 runs. In just two overs, Sufiyan Muqeem claimed two wickets and conceded just six runs, demonstrating exceptional performance.

The Pakistani batting line was unable to score a significant amount in the last Twenty20 International of the five-match series.

At Wellington Regional Stadium, New Zealand won the toss and asked Pakistan to bat first in the sixth Twenty20 International.

As they continued to lose wickets at regular intervals, Pakistan managed to score 128 for nine wickets. In keeping with his recent success, captain Salman Ali Agha scored a half-century before being removed at 51. Mohammad Haris scored 11 and vice captain Shadab Khan scored 28.

None of Pakistan’s batters managed to reach double figures save for these three.

With the ball, James Neesham was outstanding as he recorded his first T20 fifer. Ben Sears and Ish Sodhi shared one wicket each, but Jacob Duffy took two.

Following Pakistan’s defeat in three of the four series games, the visitors made five changes to their starting lineup.

The playing XI now includes Omair Bin Yousuf, Usman Khan, Jahandad Khan, and Sufiyan Muqeem, while Shaheen Afridi, Irfan Khan Niazi, Khushdil Shah, Abbas Afridi, and Abrar Ahmed were dropped.

Even after his contentious return to international cricket, Shadab Khan has managed to get a spot in the fifth consecutive Twenty20 International despite his dismal domestic play. He still serves as the team’s deputy captain for Pakistan.

In the last four games, the all-rounder has scored 30 runs and claimed just one wicket at an economy rate of 10 and an average of 110.

The team’s bowling unit was not playing up to par, according to bowling coach Azhar Mahmood, who also highlighted the difficulties caused by bounce and pace in New Zealand.

He suggested that Haris Rauf’s playing XI would change for the final game and commended him for his bowling performance.

New Zealand leads the five-bout match 3-1 and has already claimed the series.

The Pakistani

Hasan Nawaz, Omair Bin Yousuf, Usman Khan, Shadab Khan, Abdul Samad, Jahandad Khan, Haris Rauf, Sufyan Moqim, Mohammad Haris (wk), Salman Ali Agha (c), and the following individuals

New Zealand:

Tim Seifert, Finn Allen, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Jimmy Neesham, Mitch Hay (wk), Michael Bracewell (c), Ish Sodhi, Jacob Duffy, Ben Sears, Will O’Rourke

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Pakistan and Bangladesh exclude ODIs from their bilateral series.

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The cricket boards of Pakistan and Bangladesh have resolved to eliminate ODIs from their forthcoming bilateral series.

Sources indicate that the two teams, set to compete in May, will not engage in any One Day Internationals. In light of the forthcoming T20 World Cup, the boards have collaboratively decided to substitute ODIs with T20 matches.

According to the initial itinerary, Bangladesh was scheduled to compete in three ODIs and three T20Is in Pakistan. The updated schedule now comprises five T20I matches.

Sources have said that Pakistan would visit Bangladesh outside the planned itinerary to compete in a T20I series, with a three-match T20I series anticipated in July.

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