Former captain and senior off-spinner Sana Mir has been dropped from Pakistan’s squad for the upcoming Women’s T20 World Cup in Australia.
The Pakistan women’s selection committee didn’t include Sana in the squad, citing performances in the international and domestic events as well as the team combination considering conditions Down Under.
Chief selector Urooj Mumtaz, on Monday, said it was tough to drop Sana, but her recent performances in the T20 format were not up to the mark.
“Jotting down the squad for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup was a tough task as many players had staked a claim in the side. Although the players who have been left out will be disappointed and heart-broken, this, however, should act as a motivation for them to comeback more strongly,” Mumtaz said.
The selectors, however, have recalled Muneeba Ali and Aimen Anwar, while also naming the uncapped Ayesha Naseem in the squad.
The trio has replaced Nahida Khan, Ayesha Zafar, and Rameen Shamim in the T20I squad, which lost 3-0 to England in Kuala Lumpur last month.
Pakistan women will depart for Australia on January 31 and will play three warm-up matches against the West Indies on February 7, 9, and 11.
Squad:
Bismah Maroof, Aimen Anwar, Aliya Riaz, Anam Amin, Ayesha Naseem, Diana Baig Fatima Sana, Iram Javed, Javeria Khan, Muneeba Ali, Nida Dar, Omaima Sohail, Sadia Iqbal, Sidra Nawaz (WK), Syed Aroob Shah.
After her omission from the squad, Sana posted a cryptic tweet that read: “Don’t blame a clown for acting like a clown. Ask yourself why you keep going to the circus.”
Don't blame a clown for acting like a clown. Ask yourself why you keep going to the circus.
— Sana Mir ثناء میر (@mir_sana05) January 20, 2020
Mir, 34, had featured in every edition of the T20 World Cup, including the previous one in 2018. She is also Pakistan’s third-highest ranked player in the T20I Rankings for bowling.
