A salutation of the Cool Nida Dar!
Dubai: Just in case you didn’t notice, Pakistan’s Nida Dar’s Twitter handle is rather interesting. Her social media handle on the popular micro blogging platform reads- @CoolNidaDar.
Few cricketers out there are as honest as they come. And by that stretch of the argument, Nida Dar is exactly what her Twitter bio reads: cool.
- #
- Name
- Nida Dar
- Nationality
Pakistan- Current Team
- Pakistan Women
- Leagues
- Women's T20 World Cup 2023
- Seasons
- 2023
- Birthday
- January 2, 1987
- Age
- 36
She’s neither the tallest cricketing athlete out there, nor is she the most devastatingly powerful.
The world doesn’t exactly know her for her pyrotechnics on the ground. And you may think of several other athletes in the women’s game that can clear the ground and touch a more far reaching distance than Pakistan’s dependable performer.
Yet, unruffled by what the others do and don’t, Nida Dar does what she’s meant to do in her own, unhurried way.
She’s not into posturing of any kind. The Gujranwala-born stands for a hundred percent commitment on the cricket field and is deeply committed to the cause that is Pakistan Women’s cricket.
And lest it is forgotten, it’s an entity to which she contributes in her own unique way marked by ardent simplicity.
In 130 matches, Dar has 126 wickets at an average of 18.18 and an economy rate of 5.47, with a best bowling figure of 5/21. Dar’s record-breaking effort couldn’t prevent England from posting a massive 213/5 after electing to bat first.
Nida Dar
In her most recent contest in the T20 Women’s World Cup of 2023, which ultimately brought curtains to her team’s not so memorable campaign, Nida Dar found her way into the cricketing record books.
And boy, did she do that in some style.
It could be argued, hers was the only memorable moment in a contest that wasn’t after all about great memories for the Pakistan women’s team.
In cutting short the inning of none other than the English captain Heather Knight, Nida Dar had Heather Knight caught inside the circle off Nashra Sandhu.
The classy right-hander, who’d been previously seen in fine touch, could only make 4 runs on that occasion.
In so doing, Nida Dar climbed a rare peak in the women’s game, grabbing what became her 126th wicket in women’s T20 international cricket.
That made the sunglasses-donning all-rounder the picker of most wickets in the women’s T20I’s.
It’s not just any other feat; it’s a tall order that inspires envy. It’s a skyscraper of wickets that is even taller than the ones in possession of a certain Meghan Schutt, Elysse Perry and even the record breaking West Indian Anisa Mohammed.
Though truth be told, what truly makes Nida Dar an affable personality is that despite being no spring chicken, having just recently turned 36, there are no pauses in her cricketing journey.
Fit as a fiddle and unwilling to be anything other than inspiring, this hundred percent team player, there are no full stops or pauses in Dar’s journey.
Her solitary wicket was actually among the few noteworthy moments in a World cup campaign where barring the scintillating hundred by Muneeba Ali (102 vs Ireland) and Aliya Riyaz’s brilliant cameo versus Matthews’ Windies women, not an awful lot went Pakistan’s way.
It’s a shame that a team that began so inspiringly putting such vital runs against a stiff opponent like India couldn’t go the long distance.
Though what’s commendable is that this tireless cricketer who actually made her debut back in May 2010, remember the date, is still committed to be the long distance runner for her Pakistan.
And that’s when several other youngsters have arrived in the sport and are creating a storm.
Keep going, Nida. You’re the cool force from the spinning sub-continent.
