One of the best women’s cricket players in Pakistan, Nida Dar, is taking a long vacation from the sport for personal reasons in order to save her mental health. Nida Dar, who hasn’t played since October of last year, announced the decision in a statement on X without stating how long she will be off.
“I would like to inform that a lot of things have happened in the past with me personally and professionally and this has affected my mental health,” Nida Dar stated. “For this reason I am taking a break for a while from cricket to focus on myself.”
The ODI women’s World Cup begins in September, and Pakistan’s next match is a Twenty20 International series in Ireland in August. They won all five of their matches in the qualifications, which they hosted earlier this month, guaranteeing them a spot in the World Cup.
Nida Dar wasn’t chosen for the occasion.
ESPNcricinfo is aware that Nida Dar, 38, is not now a part of the women’s management hierarchy’s immediate plans. Given that the team was focused on the future, she was unlikely to have been chosen for either the subsequent World Cup or the tour to Ireland. Given that she failed a fitness test earlier this year, ESPNcricinfo understands that the management no longer believes she is fit, particularly in the ODI format.
For the most of the last two years, Nida Dar form has been questioned, especially when it comes to the bat. She had long been regarded as one of Pakistan’s top power hitters, but both her scoring consistency and her ability to take on bowlers have greatly diminished. She has averaged less than 17 and her strike rate has fallen just below 100 in her last 24 T20I innings, failing to reach 30 at any point. Since 2023, her economy rate and bowling average have also somewhat increased in both formats.
Even though it’s unknown when she will play next, the decision—which was reportedly made public without prior notice to the PCB—is not formally a retirement. In any case, her reputation as the best all-around player for Pakistani women is cemented. Dar has been a cornerstone of the Pakistani team since her debut in 2010, leading the team in 13 WODIs and 24 WT20Is.
She has taken the most wickets in Pakistani women’s Twenty20 international history (144), ranking second in the world only to Megan Schutt (151). With 108 strikes, she is also Pakistan’s second-highest ODI wicket-taker, only surpassed by Sana Mir. She is also near the top of the runs charts, ranking fourth in the Pakistan women’s ODI list with 1690 and second in the women’s WT20Is in 2091, only surpassed by Bismah Maroof.
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