WBBL 2019 | Sydney Thunder rope in Nida Dar for 2019/20 season
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In a groundbreaking move, Sydney Thunder have signed up Nida Dar for the upcoming season of the WBBL, a move that will make her the first Pakistani women to feature in the competition. With Stefanie Taylor having moved to Adelaide Strikers, Dar will replace the West Indian in the Thunders' squad.
With the likes of Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana, and Chamari Athapaththu having featured in the tournament, the Women's Big Bash League (WBBL) has always sported a strong subcontinent contingent, and now, Pakistani all-rounder Nida Dar is all set to add to the flourishing Asian talent in the tournament after having signed up for Sydney Thunder. The move also will mean that she will become the first Pakistani player to feature in the competition.
"It's wonderful. I have dreamt that I would one day play in this amazing league, and now I have the opportunity to play for Sydney Thunder. This is a great thing for me, it is a great achievement to play in the WBBL. I have been following the WBBL, it is great," Dar was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz.
"Sydney Thunder need an all-rounder and they want an energetic player, so I think I can offer those two things to them. It's T20 cricket, so it is an attacking game and I am an attacking player. I have always wanted to excite people.
"I want to grab the audience. It is the very first time a woman from Pakistan has come to play in the WBBL. I know people from Pakistan will be very proud. I know the people who have come from Pakistan to settle in Sydney will follow me, and that's very exciting," she added.
Trevor Griffin, Sydney Thunder's coach, also lavished praise on Dar and welcomed her to the side, stating that her experience will turn out to invaluable when the seasons beckons.
"Nida is a fantastic signing for us. She's a world-class player with Pakistan and she's going to bring a wealth of experience to Thunder," Griffin said of Dar.
"She's ranked in the top five ICC players for T20 all-rounders and she's got vast experience that will help with our young players and certainly add to the team," he added.
Dar has represented Pakistan in 96 T20Is and has established herself as one of the best all-rounders in women's cricket, often bamboozling opposition batters with her crafty off-spin.
