SL vs Pak - Muneeba Ali to lead new-look Pakistan T20I squad in Fatima Sana's absence

Wicketkeeper batter Muneeba Ali will captain Pakistan for their T20Is in Sri Lanka. She steps in for Fatima Sana, who will be away at the Women’s Hundred during the series, which the PCB have permitted her to skip. Sana will lead the side in the ODIs that precede the T20I series before going on to become the first Pakistani woman to play in the Hundred.

Muneeba has captained Pakistan once before in T20I cricket, for a game against Australia in 2024. The series against Sri Lanka is the first after a miserable T20 World Cup for Pakistan, where they lost four of their five games, their only victory coming in a dead rubber against Netherlands after both sides had been eliminated.

Pakistan have rung the changes in the T20 squad as a result. Aliya Riaz and Iram Javed, whose inclusions at the time came under scrutiny, have been dropped. Diana Baig, who played a limited role during the tournament, also does not make either the T20 or the ODI squads.

Pakistan have called up eight players for the tour, including three who are yet to receive a T20 cap – 19-year old batters Eman Naseer and Maham Anees, as well as spin bowler Momina Riasat, are part of Pakistan’s T20 squad for the first time. There are also recalls for Najiha Alvi, Umm-e-Hani and Waheeda Akhtar.

The ODI series comprises three matches from July 23 to 28, with the T20 series that follows running from July 31 to August 4. All six games will take place in Hambantota.

Pakistan ODI squad: Fatima Sana (capt), Ayesha Zafar, Gull Feroza, Maham Anees, Momina Riasat, Muneeba Ali (wk), Najiha Alvi, Nashra Sundhu, Sadaf Shamas, Saira Jabeen, Sidra Amin, Syeda Aroob Shah, Tasmia Rubab, Umm-e-Hani, Waheeda Akhter

Pakistan T20I squad: Muneeba Ali (capt&wk), Ayesha Zafar, Eman Naseer, Eyman Fatima, Humna Bilal, Maham Anees, Momina Riasat, Najiha Alvi, Nashra Sundhu, Saira Jabeen, Shawaal Zulfiqar, Tasmia Rubab, Tuba Hassan, Umm-e-Hani, Waheeda Akhtar

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