In a recent announcement by the PCB on Tuesday, Nida Dar has been appointed as the new T20 captain of the Pakistan women’s cricket team for the upcoming Asian Games 2023. The decision came as the board confirmed the retirement of Ayesha Naseem, an 18-year-old batter, who decided to step away from all forms of competitive cricket citing ‘personal reasons’.

This appointment marks Nida Dar’s first full-time leadership role for the team, and it presents a significant opportunity for her to guide the squad during the prestigious event. The retirement of Ayesha Naseem had initially been reported on Sunday, with speculation suggesting it might have been influenced by religious reasons. The PCB took an additional 48 hours to officially confirm the development.

Due to her decision, Ayesha Naseem will not be part of the Pakistan women’s squad at the upcoming Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, scheduled to take place from September 23 to October 8. PCB’s women’s cricket head, Tania Mallick, conveyed the board’s understanding and respect for Ayesha’s choice to step away from the game for personal reasons, wishing her the best in her future endeavors.

Ayesha Naseem had made notable contributions to the team during her career, featuring in four One-Day Internationals and 30 T20 Internationals, including appearances in the ICC T20 World Cup events in 2020 and 2023. Known for her explosive batting skills, especially down the order, she held the best strike rate of 128.12 in the shortest format among all Pakistani batters in her gender.

In a previous instance, Ayesha had captained the side during a T20 World Cup encounter against South Africa in South Africa earlier this year. As the focus shifts to the upcoming Asian Games, the Pakistan women’s squad includes promising talents like left-arm spinner Anosha Nasir, batter Shawaal Zulfiqar, leg-spin-bowling all-rounder Syeda Aroob Shah, medium-pacer Diana Baig, bowling all-rounder Fatima Sana, and all-rounder Natalia Pervaiz.

PCB women’s chief selector, Saleem Jaffer, expressed confidence in the squad’s abilities, emphasizing that it represents the future of women’s cricket in Pakistan. The blend of emerging talents and seasoned campaigners is expected to perform well in the prestigious event.

Pakistan’s squad for the Asian Games comprises Nida Dar as captain, along with Aliya Riaz, Anosha Nasir, Diana Baig, Fatima Sana, Muneeba Ali, Najiha Alvi, Nashra Sandhu, Nataliya Pervaiz, Omaima Sohail, Sadaf Shamas, Shawaal Zulfiqar, Sidra Ameen, Syeda Aroob Shah, and Umm-e-Hani.