Nida Dar opts out of cricket amid mental health struggles

Former Pakistan women’s cricket team captain Nida Dar has announced a temporary break from cricket to focus on her mental health.

The seasoned all-rounder took to social media late Thursday to share her decision, citing the toll that recent personal and professional events have taken on her well-being.

“I would like to inform that alot of things have happened in the past with me personally and professionally and this has affected my mental health. For this reason I am taking a break for a while from cricket to focus on myself. Please respect the privacy. Thank you. #respect," Dar posted.

The 38-year-old has been a stalwart for Pakistan, featuring in 130 T20 Internationals and 99 One-Day Internationals. She was recently part of the training camp for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier in Faisalabad, having been included among the 19 shortlisted players.

However, despite returning to training, Dar was not selected in the final 15-member squad after failing to meet the required fitness standards.

Subsequently, she also opted out of the upcoming National T20 Cup, choosing instead to step away from competitive cricket altogether for the time being.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan women’s team recently secured qualification for the upcoming ICC Women’s World Cup, slated to take place in India later this year.

They concluded an impressive campaign at the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier in Lahore with five consecutive victories, including a seven-wicket win over Bangladesh in their final match on April 19 at the Lahore City Cricket Association (LCCA) Ground.

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Mohsin Naqvi praised the women’s team for their successful campaign during a visit to the LCCA Ground.

However, he reiterated the PCB’s stance that the national women’s team will not travel to India for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup, aligning with the “hybrid model” that was implemented ahead of the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy earlier this year.

“Pakistan will not travel to India, as this formula has already been agreed upon,” Naqvi said during his visit.