Pakistan’s women’s football team’s return to the international stage has been boosted by the inclusion of several new overseas players in its provisional squad for the upcoming AFC Women’s Asian Cup qualifiers, as the team looks to become more competitive internationally.
The Pakistan Football Federation has decided to call up six new diaspora players—women of Pakistani origin who play in professional leagues in Europe and North America—to the 22-player squad in the hopes that their experience, skill, and exposure from playing in some of the best football environments in the world will help the team.
The newcomers include Layla Banaras, a British-Pakistani midfielder who previously played for Birmingham City; Mariam Mahmood, a striker for West Bromwich Albion in England; Aqsa Mushtaq, an attacker with Greek top-division side OFI Crete after plying her trade in Italy; Zeeyana Jivraj, a Canada-based goalkeeper who has played in the USA and Portugal; Marsha Malik (Solihull Moors, England); and Azwa Chaudhry (West Ham United youth).
Pakistan’s training camp for the tournament will reportedly begin on June 19 in Islamabad, with Maria Khan continuing as captain. Pakistan has been placed in Group D alongside hosts Indonesia, Chinese Taipei, and Kyrgyzstan.
Pakistan’s Provisional Squad for Asian Cup Qualifiers:
| Alia Sadiq | Amina Hanif | Anmol Hira | Aqsa Mushtaq | Azwa Chaudhry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Isra Khan | Jennah Farooki | Layla Banaras | Maria Khan (C) | Mariam Mahmood |
| Nadia Khan | Nisha Ashraf | Nizalia Siddiqui | Rameen Fareed | Sanah Mehdi |
| Sara Khan | Sophiya Qureshi | Suha Hirani | Zeeyana Jivraj | Zehmena Malik |
| Marsha Malik | Zufia Nazeer |
PFF’s decision to include fresh talent in the Pakistan women’s football team signals new hope that this diverse squad can deliver strong results in the qualifiers.
