Pakistan's Bismah Maroof to lead women's global development squad

Pakistan's Bismah Maroof will be leading the women's global development squad (WGDS) for the tour of Australia where they will play against Women's Big Bash League (WBBL) teams and will also be a part of different WBBL squads for their first-round tournament matches, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said on Thursday.

She will be leading a squad of 13 members, which will comprise players from eight countries. The side will play six T20I matches.

This is the fourth exposure tour announced by the ICC. It is being organised in association with the Cricket Australia (CA) and comes on the back of similar programmes in England (in July 2018 and July 2019) and Australia (November 2018).

"It is an honour to be leading this side. This is an excellent platform provided by the ICC for players of different sides. As a captain, I will try my level best to share my experiences on and off the field. There will be girls from different cultures and it will be a new challenge for me," ICC quoted Maroof as saying.

"I have led my country, where I know all the players, but this will be a new experience. It is an important platform, where we will play against star players of the Big Bash. My own game will also develop in a new environment and I will be able to help the Pakistan team in the future," she added.

The 28-year-old Maroof has represented Pakistan in 103 ODIs and 100 T20Is.

Thailand has the maximum number of players in the 13-member squad. Thailand skipper and leading spinner Sornnarin Tippoch, who is ranked 22nd among bowlers is also a part of the team.

Spinner Suleeporn Laomi and batter Naruemol Chaiwai are the other members from Thailand in the team.

Scotland's seamer Katie McGill and wicketkeeper Sarah Bryce, Papua New Guinea's spinner Kaia Arua and batter Tanya Ruma, and Bangladesh's all-rounder Rumana Ahmad and wicketkeeper Nigar Sultana Joty are other players in the squad.

Seamers Hannah Rowe of New Zealand, Lara Maritz of Ireland and Ni Made Putri Suwandewi of Indonesia are also a part of the multi-nation squad.

The WGDS squad: Bismah Maroof (captain, Pakistan), Rumana Ahmed, Nigar Sultana Joty (Bangladesh), Ni Made Putri Suwandewi (Indonesia), Lara Martiz (Ireland), Hannah Rowe (New Zealand), Kaia Arua, Tanya Ruma (Papua New Guinea), Katie McGill, Sarah Bryce (Scotland), Sornnarin Tippoch, Suleeporn Laomi, Naruemol Chaiwai (Thailand), Sean Trouw (Head Coach - Netherlands), Peter Ross (Assistant Coach - Scotland)

WGDS will play their first match against Melbourne Renegades/Melbourne Stars combined XI on October 9.