In a situation to shake things up, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has turned to former fast bowler Wahab Riaz to mentor the national women’s squad during their upcoming white-ball tour of South Africa.
Announced on January 14, this appointment feels like a fresh chapter after the team’s heartbreaking slump at the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025, where they finished dead last in the eight-team field, sparking a coaching overhaul that saw Mohammad Wasim shown the door.
Wahab, no stranger to high pressure scenarios with his slingy yorkers and fiery comebacks in international cricket, steps into this supervisory role with a familiar face at the helm: all-rounder Fatima Sana as captain for both ODIs and T20Is. It’s a vote of confidence in Sana’s leadership, especially after her standout moments in recent series.
Assisting Wahab will be a seasoned coaching duo former top order batter Imran Farhat and spinner Abdul Rehman bringing tactical nous from their playing days to nurture the next wave.
This isn’t Wahab’s first dance with the women’s setup. Over the past two years, he’s already been hands on with the squad’s training camp in Karachi. His intense, disciplined style, which could be just the spark needed to reignite Pakistan’s white-ball fortunes.
The tour kicks off February 10, blending T20Is and ODIs as crucial preparation for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in June. Excitement builds around fresh blood: uncapped talents Saira Jabeen and Humna Bilal earn T20I call-ups, injecting youthful energy into the mix.
Meanwhile, the ODI squad welcomes back Ayesha Zafar, Gull Feroza, Tasmia Rubab, and wicketkeeper Najiha Alvi, players hungry to prove themselves after time on the sidelines.
For a team licking its wounds from that World Cup nightmare, where batting collapses and fielding lapses haunted them across the group stage, this South Africa trip is make or break. Wahab’s mentorship could blend his street-smart aggression with the women’s growing technical prowess, turning raw potential into results.
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