South Africa women’s tour of Pakistan confirmed
The South African women’s cricket team will embark on their first tour of Pakistan between August and September this year, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed on Friday. During their tour of Pakistan, the South Africans will play three T20Is and three ICC Women’s Championship 2022-25 ODIs in Karachi. South Africa will become the fourth such team to add to the list of senior national women’s teams touring Pakistan.
Earlier, West Indies Women visited Karachi for three T20Is in January 2019, followed by Sri Lanka and Ireland playing ODIs and T20Is in Karachi and Lahore respectively in May and November 2022. Separately, 11 cricketers from seven countries participated, including three captains. three matches of the women’s league exhibition in Rawalpindi in March.
The series against South Africa will be all-rounder Nida Dar’s first series as captain. Nida is one of the most experienced players in the country with 99 ODIs and 130 T20Is. “The next 12 months will be incredibly busy for the Pakistan Women’s Cricket team and I look forward to the challenges ahead with excitement and anticipation. These matches will significantly contribute to our efforts to gain experience and exposure and reduce the gap with the frontrunners,” said Dar.
“The busy season starts with the home series against South Africa, which will also be my first series as captain. I hope to make myself memorable by not only scoring an ODI century but also helping the team collect valuable ICC Women’s Championship points to finish in the top half of the draw,” he said. Dar added that for this feat, the team will need to play superbly as South Africa is an experienced team with a number of quality players.
“I am extremely excited to be back for a bilateral series in Pakistan. Having been to Pakistan earlier this year for the exhibition matches of the women’s league, I was very impressed with the warm hospitality and passionate cricket fans. The players were very friendly, it was great to be there and experience the country,” said Suné Luus, who captained South Africa at the 2023 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup and also played in the Women’s League Exhibition in Rawalpindi.
“Pakistan are always a very competitive and dangerous team in their own backyard, so I feel it will be a good series. “The ODIs as part of the ICC Women’s Championship are very important for women’s cricket and we are all looking forward to it.”
Pakistan’s 2022-2025 ICC Women’s Championship Schedule:
- vs South Africa (all matches in Karachi)
- August 27 – The South African team arrives
- September 1 – First T20I against South Africa
- September 3 – Second T20I vs South Africa
- September 5 – Third T20I vs South Africa
- September 8 – First ODI against South Africa
- September 11 – Second ODI against South Africa
- September 14 – Third ODI against South Africa
- October/November 2023 – Pakistan tour of Bangladesh (three ODIs and three T20Is)
- November/December 2023 – Pakistan tour of New Zealand (three ODIs and three T20Is)
- April/May 2024 – West Indies tour to Pakistan (three ODIs and five T20Is)
- May 2024 – Pakistan tour of England (three ODIs and three T20Is)
