The International Cricket Council declared the Pakistani cricket icon, Sana Mir, as the ambassador for the 2024 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Global Qualifier, scheduled from April 25 to May 7, in Abu Dhabi.
With a remarkable career from 2005- 2019, spanning 226 international matches, including 137 as captain, Sana will closely monitor the performance of the ten participating teams and their players throughout the two-week tournament.
As the tournament unfolds in Abu Dhabi from April 25th to May 7th, Sana Mir, the former Pakistani skipper, anticipates an exhilarating contest for the two coveted finalist spots, securing passage to the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in Bangladesh later this year.
Expressing her enthusiasm for her ambassadorial role, Sana emphasized the significance of the qualifier in providing exposure to Associate Member teams and their players, highlighting the escalating competitiveness in women’s cricket in recent years.
Reflecting on her own journey, Sana recounted memorable experiences from past qualifying events. Notably, one of her standout performances came in the 2008 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup Qualifying Series, where her exceptional batting and bowling earned her the joint Player of the Series accolade. Drawing from her extensive experience as a player and captain, Sana aims to mentor and guide teams and players on navigating the pressure of such high-stakes events, leveraging her insights to foster success.
She mentioned, “My aim is to talk to the various teams and players during the Qualifier and help guide them on how to deal with the pressure of these events and what it takes to succeed. Pakistan had a great record in these events, and I in particular have fond memories of the 2008 edition of the 50 over World Cup qualifier event that I played.”
Looking ahead to the qualifier, Sana expressed keen interest in observing the progress of emerging talents, particularly those from Zimbabwe, whom she mentored during the inaugural ICC Women’s U19 T20 World Cup.
ICC has announced former Captain of Pakistan, Sana Mir, as an ambassador for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier that starts tomorrow.#CricketTwitter pic.twitter.com/ZTMb1vrxh1
— Female Cricket (@imfemalecricket) April 24, 2024
Emphasizing the unpredictability of T20 cricket, Sana lauded the prowess of batters like Sri Lankan captain Chamari Athapaththu, renowned for her explosive style, while also anticipating challenges posed by the Abu Dhabi conditions, where bowlers may find support on the pitches amidst the scorching weather.
She mentioned, “The power game has surely become important in women’s cricket as well and players like Sri Lankan captain Chamari Athapaththu have created a big legacy with their swashbuckling style. I am looking forward to seeing her unleash some big hits and big scores in the tournament.”
The sixth edition of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier is set to take place in Abu Dhabi in April and May. Ten teams will compete, divided into two groups of five. The top two teams from each group will progress to the semi-finals, with the finalists earning qualification for the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup hosted in Bangladesh later in September- October.
In Group A, Scotland, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Uganda, and the United States will vie for advancement. Meanwhile, Group B will feature Ireland, the Netherlands, the United Arab Emirates, Vanuatu, and Zimbabwe.