Pakistan have selected a near-identical squad to the one playing the ongoing white-ball series against West Indies for the upcoming tour of England, with Nida Dar the captain of the side.The only omissions are BismahMaroof, who retired from the game last week after an international career that spanned 18 years, and Sidra Nawaz, who was part of the ODI squad but did not play a game.
The official squad announcement does not appear to distinguish between players selected for the T20I and ODI legs of the series against England, and it is understood that all 17 players have been chosen for both formats.
The tour comes following a disappointing home series against West Indies, in which Pakistan have run the visitors close on several occasions but are yet to get over the line. West Indies, spearheaded by the sensational all-round form of Hayley Matthews, won the ODI series 3-0, and have taken an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match T20I series in Karachi.
Pakistan will play three T20Is and as many ODIs against England in May, with the T20I games on May 11, 17 and 19. The ODIs follow on May 23, 26 and 29. They will also play a warm-up T20 on May 9 and a one-day game on May 21 against an ECB Development XI side.
The ODIs are part of the ICC Women’s Championship 2022-25, with this being Pakistan’s eighth and final series in the current cycle. Pakistan are currently fifth with 16 points on the ten-team table, with the top five qualifying for the 2025 ODI World Cup directly.
Meanwhile, Jason Gillespie’s resume makes him a strong contender for most coaching jobs, but there’s little doubt that in Pakistan, his nationality also carries weight. Pakistan’s admiration for, and in some cases obsession over, the Australian style of play has made them look to that country for roles as diverse as dressing-room mentors to pitch curators. Just weeks earlier, they made Shane Watson their primary candidate for the white-ball coaching role but he pulled out. Ever since, Gillespie has been first choice for Test coach and an agreement with him and Gary Kirsten – who takes over as white ball coach – is believed to have been agreed weeks ago.
But Gillespie hasn’t become a respected coach by telling sides what they want to hear, and in his first remarks since his appointment, he warned that Pakistan shouldn’t simply look to emulate Australia or any other side. “My philosophy is – don’t try to be something that you’re not,” he told the PCB’s in-house media channel on a podcast. “I simply want the Pakistan cricket team to play the style of cricket that’s going to suit them; for me, that’s important.
“You’ve got to be authentic in how you go about it. I will go out there and say: just be positive, aggressive, entertaining. Play with a smile on your faces and entertain our fans. There are going to be times when you have to grind it out, and that’s what Test cricket is. It’s a test of your skills, mental capacity, and patience. There are times to attack and times to soak up some periods of cricket from the opposition. If we can be as consistent as we can, then hopefully, the scoreboard will look after itself, and we can pick up some wins.”
The former Australian fast bowler has had several coaches roles since he last played international cricket in 2006. Most successfully, Gillespie was Yorkshire’s head coach from 2011-16, overseeing their promotion from the second division in his first season, and won back-to-back titles in 2014 and 2015. He has also taken up T20 coaching roles with Punjab Kings and Adelaide Strikers, as well as Sussex and South Australia.
