Nida Dar appointed Pakistan captain; Mark Coles returns as head coach

Nida Dar has been named Pakistan's all-format captain a month after Bismah Maroof quit the role following the team's group-stage exit from the T20 World Cup in South Africa in February. The PCB has also confirmed the recruitment of Mark Coles as head coach, with Saleem Jaffar serving as the head of the women's selection committee.

Dar, 36, is the leading wicket-taker in women's T20Is with 126 wickets from 130 games. She has also scored 1687 runs in the format at a strike rate of 100.95. In ODIs, she has 91 wickets and 1535 runs from 99 games.

"It is a huge responsibility, and I am excited to lead the team in the upcoming events," Dar said. "I want to thank the PCB for entrusting me with this responsibility and will do my best to take the team forward.

"I also want to thank Bismah Maroof for her services as the captain of the team. She has done a fantastic job, and I hope to continue her legacy and lead the team with the same passion and commitment. The upcoming season of women's cricket is going to be a tough one. But we are fortunate to have some young exciting talent in our pool of players, which I am confident will significantly improve during the course and also help the side to produce strong performances.

"As a captain, my objective remains to inspire and mentor these young players to become quality cricketers. I will be extremely satisfied and content if we first break and then cement our place in the upper half of the ICC Women's Championship before slowly working our way into the top-three."

Coles, meanwhile, will return in the role he left in 2019 over family commitments. He was Pakistan's head coach from 2017 to 2019 and had a relatively successful stint, leading the side to seven wins in 16 ODIs - including a first-ever series victory over West Indies in 2019 - and 12 wins in 30 T20Is.

Coles will arrive in Pakistan in May on a two-year contract, and the current coaching staff - Taufeeq Umar (batting coach), Jaffar (bowling coach) and Mohtashim Rasheed (fielding coach) - will work with him. Jaffar will also head the selection panel, which includes Asmavia Iqbal, Marina Iqbal and Mohtashim Rasheed.

"I am grateful to the PCB for giving me yet another opportunity to work with the talented Pakistan Women's team," Coles said. "It has been a privilege to work with such a talented group of players and I look forward to the exciting times ahead as we aim to improve our previous performances and achievements. We have a lot of potential in the team, and I look forward to helping the players give their best and achieve success on the international stage."

Over an 11-month period from August 2023 to July 2024, Pakistan will play 15 ODIs, which are part of the ongoing ICC Women's Championship, and 17 T20Is.

Pakistan Women's upcoming bilateral series:
Aug-Sep 2023 - vs South Africa (three ODIs & three T20Is at home)
Oct-Nov 2023 - vs Bangladesh (three ODIs & three T20Is away)
Nov-Dec 2023 - vs New Zealand (three ODIs & three T20Is away)
Feb 2024 - vs West Indies (three ODIs & five T20Is at home)
Jul 2024 - vs England (three ODIs & three T20Is away)