Sadaf Shamas ruled out of Ireland tour, replacement named

LAHORE: Top-order batter Sadaf Shamas has been ruled out of the upcoming T20I tour of Ireland due to injury, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed on Friday.

According to the cricket board, the 26-year-old tore her left quadriceps muscle during a practice session in Karachi, which will keep her on the sidelines for the upcoming assignment.

She has been replaced by emerging batter Shawaal Zulfiqar in the squad.

“Sadaf Shamas has been ruled out of Pakistan's Ireland-bound T20I squad after tearing her left quadriceps muscle during a practice session in Karachi,” the PCB said in a statement.

“The 26-year-old batter will be replaced by Shawaal Zulfiqar, who was part of the 24-player Skills camp in Karachi.”

Shawaal, who has represented Pakistan in seven T20Is and three ODIs, will travel from here to Karachi, where she will join the squad ahead of its departure for Ireland on Sunday.

For the unversed, the national team will play a three-match T20I series on the Ireland tour, with matches scheduled to be played at The Clontarf Cricket Club in Dublin on August 6, 8 and 10, respectively.

Ireland and Pakistan have come face-to-face 19 times in women’s T20Is, with the latter boasting a dominant record with 15 victories.

The last T20I series between the two sides was played in 2022, which Ireland won 2-1.

Pakistan squad: Fatima Sana (c), Aliya Riaz, Diana Baig, Eyman Fatima, Gull Feroza, Muneeba Ali, Najiha Alvi (wicket-keeper), Nashra Sundhu, Natalia Parvaiz, Rameen Shamim, Sadaf Shamas, Sadia Iqbal, Sidra Amin, Tuba Hassan and Waheeda Akhtar.

Schedule for Pakistan’s T20I series against Ireland

August 6 – First T20I at Clontarf Cricket Club in Dublin

August 8 – Second T20I at Clontarf Cricket Club in Dublin

August 10 – Third T20I at Clontarf Cricket Club in Dublin