Pakistan skipper Bismah Maroof has been ruled out of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2020 after sustaining the injury during the match against England on Friday.
Her thumb was broken while attempting a scoop shot off the bowling of Katherine Brunt, only to be caught behind after having the ball strike her hand, the International Cricket Council reported.
Maroof was crucial in Pakistan’s eight-wicket victory over West Indies in their first game of the tournament, top-scoring with an unbeaten 38. Her replacement as captain, Javeria Khan, scored 35 runs in that game, though both struggled during the heavy defeat to England.
Nahida Khan, who will replace Maroof in the 15-player squad, last played a T20I in December 2019, when Pakistan played a three-match series against England in Malyasia. The right-handed opener will be looking to improve on her returns from that series if she gets the chance in Australia, having mustered just 15 runs from three innings.
The 33-year-old has however enjoyed considerable recent success in ODIs, having scored 230 runs in her last five innings in the format, including a fifty against England.