Rumana, Joty included in WGDS squad for Australia tour

Published : 03 Oct 2019, 19:08

Jagoroniya Desk
Rumana Ahmed

Bangladesh all-rounder Rumana Ahmad and wicket-keeper Nigar Sultana Joty were included in the Women’s Global Development Squad (WGDS) for a tour of Australia where they will get to play against Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) teams as well as be part of different WBBL squads for their first round tournament matches.

Pakistan captain Bismah Maroof, who has represented her country in 103 ODIs and 100 T20Is, will lead a 13-member squad comprising players from eight countries who get to play six T20 matches in what is the fourth such exposure tour announced by the International Cricket Council (ICC), a press release of the cricket apex body said on Thursday.

This tour is being organised in association with Cricket Australia and comes after similar programmes in England (in July 2018 and July 2019) and Australia (November 2018), all of which have provided exposure to players from outside the leading cricket teams.

The maximum representation in the squad is from Thailand, who boast three players including captain and leading spinner Sornnarin Tippoch, who is ranked 22nd among bowlers in the MRF Tyres ICC Women’s T20I Player Rankings. Spinner Suleeporn Laomi and batter Naruemol Chaiwai are the others from Thailand, who have qualified for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in Australia next year.

Bismah says she is “very excited” at the opportunity of leading the WGDS side.

Bismah Maroof: “It’s an honour to be leading this side. This is an excellent platform provided by the ICC for players of different sides. As 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.”

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)

Fixtures (all T20s):

Wednesday, 9 October: WGDS v Melbourne Renegades/Melbourne Stars Combined XI

Thursday, 10 October: WGDS v Strikers; WGDS v Melbourne Renegades/Melbourne Stars Combined XI

Friday, 11 October: WGDS v Adelaide Strikers

Sunday, 13 October: WGDS v Hobart Hurricanes/Tasmanian Tigers Combined XI

Monday, 14 October: WGDS v Hobart Hurricanes/Tasmanian Tigers Combined XI

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