Bisma Maroof to lead Women’s Global Development Squad

Pakistan captain “very excited” at opportunity to lead team comprising players from eight countries on a tour of Australia.

Pakistan’s Bisma Maroof has been named captain of a Women’s Global Development Squad (WGDS) for a tour of Australia where they will get to play against Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) teams as well as be part of different WBBL squads for their first-round tournament matches.

The captain, who has represented her country in 103 ODIs and 100 T20Is, will lead a 13-member squad comprising players from eight countries who get to play six T20 matches in what is the fourth such exposure tour announced by the International Cricket Council.

This tour is being organized in association with Cricket Australia and comes after similar programs in England (in July 2018 and July 2019) and Australia (November 2018), all of which have provided exposure to players from outside the leading cricket teams.

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 MRF Tyres 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.

Bisma Maroof said, ““It’s an honor 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 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.