LAHORE, Feb 09 (APP): Pakistan Women’s cricket team captain Fatima Sana has said the team has been working on playing fearless brand of cricket and she is confident that it will pay off.
“The tracks here are pacey and the batters are enjoying the ball coming nicely onto the bat and our fast bowlers are liking it too, because there’s something in it for them as well,” she said prior to the T20I series again the South Africa Women.
Pakistan will face South Africa in a three-match women’s T20I series, commencing from February 10 and all matches will be staged on 10, 13 and 16 February. This is Pakistan Women’s first tour of South Africa for a bilateral series since 2021.
On the conditions, Fatima Sana said, “We’ve had our first practice here and we really like the feel of the surfaces. It’s good for us to face a challenge like this ahead of the World Cup, and the way my team has responded to training over the last month has been incredible.
“South Africa are a strong opposition and we’ll be pushing for the best possible results. We have a very young squad, and we’re hopeful this series will give them valuable exposure to international cricket.”
Pakistan’s 15-member squad will be captained by Fatima Sana, while Laura Wolvaardt will lead the home side. In the build-up to the series, Pakistan held a week-long pre-series camp in Karachi, which included practice sessions and scenario-based matches.
The squad features two uncapped players for Pakistan, with pacers Humna Bilal and Tasmia Rubab braced for their T20I debuts.
The forthcoming series provides both sides with an opportunity to finalise preparations for the 12-team ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup, set to take place from 12 June to 5 July in England and Wales.
On head to head, in 24 T20I matches, South Africa have an upper hand against Pakistan, but Pakistan had swept the series by three nil against South Africa when the two sides met in Karachi in 2023.
For Pakistan, in the current squad, in the batting department, Aliya Riaz has featured in 15 T20Is against South Africa, scoring 321 runs at a strike rate of 122.98. In the bowling unit, left-arm spinner Sadia Iqbal has played six matches, claiming 10 wickets at an economy rate of 6.66.
15-member squad:
Fatima Sana (captain), Aliya Riaz, Ayesha Zafar, Eyman Fatima, Gull Feroza (wicket- keeper), Humna Bilal, Muneeba Ali (wicket-keeper), Nashra Sundhu, Natalia Parvaiz, Sadia Iqbal, Saira Jabeen, Sidra Amin, Tasmia Rubab, Tuba Hassan and Umm-e-Hani
Pakistan Women’s tour of South Africa T20I Schedule: (10 February to 16 February; all matches to begin at 9pm PKT)
1st T20I – 10 February – JB Marks Oval, Potchefstroom (day/night)
2nd T20I – 13 February – Willowmoore Park, Benoni (day/night)
3rd T20I – 16 February – Kimberley Oval, Kimberley (day/night).