Nida Dar, the captain of the former women’s cricket team of Pakistan, has announced a temporary break from all forms of cricket to focus on his mental health, which he has described as a period of personal and business challenges.
The 38-year-old all-rounder announced on social media late Thursday night, appealed for confidentiality as he is away from the game.
“A lot of things have been with me individually and professionally in the past and have influenced my mental health,” Dar has written.
“For this reason, I am taking a break from cricket for some time to focus on myself. Please honor confidentiality. Thanks. #Respect.”
One of Pakistan’s most experienced players, Dar has represented his country in 130 T20 Internationals and 99 ODIs.
Known for her association and leadership, she recently returned to training in preparation for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup qualifier in Faisalbad.
However, he did not form the last 15-Khiladi team after failing to meet the fitness benchmark.
In addition to moving away from international disputes, Dar has also withdrawn from the upcoming National T20 Cup, instead chooses a full break from competitive cricket.
Her decision came when the Pakistan women’s team celebrated a successful qualifying campaign for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup, defending Bangladesh by five wickets in their final match at Lahore City Cricket Association (LCCA) ground on 19 April.
Appreciating the performance of the squad, Mohsin Naqvi, president of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), reiterated that the national women’s team would not travel to India for the tournament, which conforms to the already agreed “hybrid model”, which was adopted for the ICC men’s Champions Trophy.
“Pakistan will not travel to India, as the formula has already agreed,” NQVI said during the LCCA ground visit.
