Fatima Sana to lead Pakistan ODI, T20I squads for South Africa tour

By Special Correspondent

LAHORE: Fatima Sana will continue to lead Pakistan in both T20I and ODI formats as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Wednesday unveiled the women’s squads for their upcoming tour of South Africa. The T20Is will be held from February 10-16 in Potchefstroom, Benoni and Kimberley, with all being day-night fixtures, PCB said in a statement. Pakistan will then warm up for the ODI series with a 50-over game at Kimberley, followed by the three ODIs at Bloemfontein, Centurion and Durban from Feb 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 the squads, while uncapped batter Saira Jabeen and right-arm fast bowler Humna Bilal have earned their maiden T20I call-ups. Opening batters Ayesha and Gull along with left-arm pacer Tasmia and wicketkeeper-batter Najiha Alvi have been called up to the 15-member ODI squad after missing out on the ODI World Cup selection.

Diana Baig, Najiha, Sadaf Shamas and Syeda Aroob Shah are just part of the 50-over squad, while Humna, Saira, Tuba Hassan and Eyman Fatima are in the T20I squad only. 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 took part 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 (wicket- keeper), Humna Bilal, Muneeba Ali (wicket-keeper), Nashra Sundhu, Natalia Parvaiz, Rameen Shamim, Sadia Iqbal, Saira Jabeen, Sidra Amin, Tasmia Rubab, and Tuba Hassan.

ODI squad:

Fatima Sana (captain), Aliya Riaz, Ayesha Zafar, Diana Baig, Gull Feroza, Muneeba Ali (wicket-keeper), Najiha Alvi (wicket-keeper), Nashra Sundhu, Natalia Parvaiz, Rameen Shamim, Sadaf Shamas, Sadia Iqbal, Sidra Amin, Syeda Aroob Shah and Tasmia Rubab.

Player support personnel:

Wahab Riaz (mentor), Imran Farhat (batting coach), Umaid Asif (fast bowling coach), Abdur Rehman (spin bowling coach), Abdul Majeed (fielding coach), Moeen (strength & conditioning coach), Waleed Ahmad (performance analyst), Ayesha Ashar (Team manager), Tehreem Sumbal (physiotherapist) and Raza Rashid Kitchlew (media manager).

Pakistan Women’s tour of South Africa Schedule: (10 February to 1 March)

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)

50-over warm-up match; 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).