Nida Dar takes break from cricket to focus on mental health

LAHORE: Former Pakistan women’s cricket team captain Nida Dar has announced a temporary break from cricket to address mental health challenges, ARY News reported.

The all-rounder explained that recent personal and professional events have significantly affected her mental well-being. “In the past few months, a lot has happened around me personally and professionally, which has taken a toll on my mental health. Therefore, I have decided to take a break from cricket to focus on myself. I request everyone to respect my privacy during this time,” Dar stated.

Dar was recently called up for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier training camp in Faisalabad, where she underwent a fitness test but was not selected for the squad due to fitness concerns.

She also opted out of participating in the upcoming National T20 Cup, a domestic tournament, choosing instead to prioritize her mental health and step away from the game temporarily.

It is worth mentioning here that Nida Dar is the most capped T20I player for Pakistan and was the first Pakistan player, male or female, to take 100 T20I wickets. She is among the first four players to play 100 women’s ODIs for Pakistan and also has the second-most wickets in the format behind Sana Mir.

She was named PCB’s Women’s Cricketer of the Year in 2021. At 36, she took over as Pakistan’s all-format captain from Bismah Maroof in April 2023.

In December, she led the first Pakistan women’s side to win a T20I series in New Zealand, which was also the first time an Asian side achieved the feat.