Pakistan’s National Women’s One-Day Tournament 2024 is all set to resume on Thursday, 12th December, with matches scheduled in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi, bringing women’s cricket back into action after an abrupt pause in November.
The tournament, originally planned as a 50-over competition, has now been modified to a 45-over format. On the opening day, Fatima Sana’s Conquerors will face Aliya Riaz’s Challengers at the Shoaib Akhtar Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi, while Nida Dar’s Strikers will take on Sidra Amin’s Stars at the Marghzar Cricket Ground in Islamabad. Matches will begin at 9:30 AM (PKT), with the toss scheduled for 9:00 AM (PKT).
The tournament had earlier been halted due to a fire incident at the team hotel in Karachi, where five players narrowly escaped harm. The swift response from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) ensured the players’ safety, as most of the players and officials were at the National Stadium Karachi for matches or practice sessions during the incident.
The second leg of the tournament will culminate in a grand final between the top two teams on Sunday, December 22, at the Shoaib Akhtar Cricket Stadium. The winning team will secure a prize of PKR 1.5 million, while the runner-up will receive PKR 1 million.
The tournament has already witnessed some outstanding performances during its first phase, which featured 10 matches from November 8 to 18 at the UBL Sports Complex and High-Performance Centre Oval Ground in Karachi. The Invincibles, led by Muneeba Ali, currently top the points table with four wins in as many matches, followed by Stars with three victories. The Conquerors and Strikers are in third and fourth positions, respectively, while the Challengers remain at the bottom, yet to register a win.
Key players have emerged as top performers so far. On the batting front, Iram Javed of the Invincibles leads with 235 runs in four matches at an impressive average of 78.33, including one century and one half-century. She is followed closely by Aliya Riaz of the Challengers, who has 234 runs, including one century and two half-centuries. Sidra Amin of the Stars holds third place with 184 runs, having struck two half-centuries.
In bowling, Ghulam Fatima, a right-arm leg-spinner from the Invincibles, leads the charts with 12 wickets in four matches, with her best figures being an impressive 5 for 17 in a victory over the Conquerors. Rameen Shamim of the Stars has claimed 11 wickets, while Nashra Sundhu (Conquerors), Tania Saeed (Invincibles), and Anam Amin (Strikers) follow with nine wickets each.
This second phase of the tournament also brings in some notable additions to the squads. Shawaal Zulfiqar has been added to the Challengers after completing her rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore. Meanwhile, Samiya Afsar, the standout performer and player of the tournament in the National Women’s U19 T20 Tournament 2024, has joined the Conquerors.
Updated 16-member squads for National Women’s One-Day Tournament 2024:
Challengers:
Aliya Riaz (C), Arijah Haseeb, Arim Barkat, Fatima Shahid, Gull Rukh, Samina Aftab, Maham Manzoor, Momina Riasat, Natalia Parvez, Sana Talib, Shawaal Zulfiqar, Tasmia Rubab, Umm-e-Hani, Yusra Amir, Zaib-un-Nisa Niaz and Zamina Tahir
Conquerors:
Fatima Sana (C), Aleena Shah, Dua Majid, Farzana Farooq, Hafsa Khalid, Humna Bilal, Khadija Chishti, Laraib Malik, Mahnoor Aftab, Mehrab Fatima, Najiha Alvi, Nashra Sundhu, Rida Aslam, Saira Jabeen, Samiya Afsar and Syeda Aroob Shah
Invincibles:
Muneeba Ali (C), Amber Kainat, Areesha Noor, Ayesha Zafar, Fatima Zahra, Ghulam Fatima, Haleema Dua, Iram Javed, Neha Sharmeen, Noor-Ul-Iman, Omaima Sohail, Saima Malik, Saiqa Riaz, Shabnam Hayat, Tania Saeed and Yusra Ahtesham
Stars:
Sidra Amin (C), Aima Saleem, Anosha Nasir, Huraina Sajjad, Kaynat Hafeez, Laiba Fatima, Laiba Mansoor, Neelam Mushtaq, Rabia Rani, Rameen Shamim, Sadaf Shamas, Sidra Nawaz, Soha Fatima, Tuba Hassan, Waheeda Akhtar and Zunaira Shah
Strikers:
Nida Dar (C) Aleena Masood, Aliza Sabir, Amna Bibi, Anam Amin, Ayesha Bilal, Eyman Fatima, Fajar Naveed, Fariha Mahmood, Gull Feroza, Muqaddas Bukhari, Noreen Yaqoob, Sabiqa Shahzadi, Syeda Masooma Jafri, Warda Yousaf and Zunash Abdul Sattar
As the tournament enters its final stretch, cricket enthusiasts can expect intense matches and stellar performances as teams battle for the prestigious title and significant prize money. The stage is set for a thrilling conclusion to the National Women’s One-Day Tournament 2024.
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