Fatima Sana will continue to lead Pakistan in the T20I and ODI formats as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Wednesday announced the women’s squads for their upcoming tour of South Africa.
The T20Is will be held from February 10 to 16 in Potchefstroom, Benoni and Kimberley, day and night, PCB said in a statement.
Pakistan will then prepare for the ODI series with a 50-over match in Kimberley, followed by the three ODIs in Bloemfontein, Centurion and Durban from February 22 to March 1.
Aliya Riaz, Ayesha Zafar, Gull Feroza, Muneeba Ali, Nashra Sundhu, Natalia Parvaiz, Rameen Shamim, Sadia Iqbal, Sidra Amin and Tasmia Rubab are part of both squads, while uncapped batter Saira Jabeen and right-arm fast bowler Humna Bilal earned their maiden T20I call-ups.
Opening batters Ayesha and Gull along with left-arm pacer Tasmia and batsman Najiha Alvi were called up to the 15-member ODI squad after missing out on selection for the ODI World Cup.
Diana Baig, Najiha, Sadaf Shamas and Syeda Aroob Shah are only part of the 50-over team, while Humna, Saira, Tuba Hassan and Eyman Fatima are only part of the T20I team.
The Pakistan women’s team will return to South Africa for a bilateral series after five years, having last played there in January 2021 when they took part in a three-match ODI series in Durban.
In February 2023, Pakistan participated in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in South Africa and played their matches in Cape Town and Paarl.
T20I squad:
Fatima Sana (captain), Aliya Riaz, Ayesha Zafar, Eyman Fatima, Gull Feroza (wicketkeeper), Humna Bilal, Muneeba Ali (wicketkeeper), Nashra Sundhu, Natalia Parvaiz, Rameen Shamim, Sadia Iqbal, Saira Jabeen, Sidra Amin, Tasmia Rubab and Tuba Hassan
ODI Team:
Fatima Sana (captain), Aliya Riaz, Ayesha Zafar, Diana Baig, Gull Feroza, Muneeba Ali (wicketkeeper), Najiha Alvi (wicketkeeper), Nashra Sundhu, Natalia Parvaiz, Rameen Shamim, Sadaf Shamas, Sadia Iqbal, Sidra Amin, Syeda Aroob Shah and Tasmia Rubab
Player support staff:
Wahab Riaz (mentor), Imran Farhat (batting coach), Umaid Asif (fast bowling coach), Abdur Rehman (spin bowling coach), Abdul Majeed (fielding coach), Moeen (strength and conditioning coach), Waleed Ahmad (performance analyst), Ayesha Ashar (team manager), Tehreem Sumbal (physiotherapist) and Raza Rashid Kitchlew (media manager)
Schedule of Pakistani women’s tour of South Africa: (February 10 to March 1)
1st T20I: February 10 — JB Marks Oval, Potchefstroom (day/night)
2nd T20I: February 13 — Willowmoore Park, Benoni (day/night)
3rd T20I: February 16 — Kimberley Oval, Kimberley (day/night)
Warm-up match from 50; February 19 — Kimberley Oval, Kimberley (day)
1st ODI: February 22 — Mangaung Oval, Bloemfontein (day)
2nd ODI: February 25 — SuperSport Park, Centurion (day/night)
3rd ODI: March 1 — Kingsmead Stadium, Durban (day)
