The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has confirmed that the South Africa women’s cricket team will tour Pakistan for the first time in August-September 2023.
The tour will consist of three T20Is and three ODIs, all of which will be played in Karachi.This will be the fourth high-profile national women’s side to tour Pakistan in recent times, following West Indies, Sri Lanka, and Ireland.
The tour is also significant as it will be all-rounder Nida Dar’s first series as captain of the Pakistan women’s team.
Dar is one of the most experienced players in the country, with 99 ODIs and 130 T20Is to her name. She is confident that the team can use the tour to gain valuable experience and exposure, and narrow the gap with the top teams in the world.
“The next 12 months will be incredibly busy for the Pakistan women’s cricket team,” said Dar.
“I look forward to the upcoming assignments with excitement and anticipation. These matches will contribute significantly in our endeavours to gain experience and exposure, and narrow gap with the front-runners.”
“The busy season will start with the home series against South Africa, which will also be my first series as captain. I am hoping to make it a memorable one for myself by not only completing a century of ODIs but also assisting the side to collect valuable ICC Women’s Championship points so that we can finish in the upper half of the draw.
However, to achieve this, we will have to play outstandingly well as South Africa is an experienced side that possesses a number of quality players,” she added.
South Africa captain Suné Luus is also looking forward to the tour. She said: “I am extremely excited to be back to play a bilateral series in Pakistan. Having visited Pakistan earlier this year for the women’s league exhibition matches, I was truly impressed by the warm hospitality and the passionate cricket fans. The players were very friendly, it was really great to be there and experience the country.”
“Pakistan is always a very competitive and dangerous side at their own backyard, so I feel it’s going to be a good series. The ODIs being a part of ICC Women’s Championship is very important for women’s cricket, and we all are looking forward to it.”
The full schedule for the tour is as follows:
**Pakistan vs South Africa***
All matches in Karachi
* 27 August – South Africa team arrival
* 1 September – First T20I
* 3 September – Second T20I
* 5 September – Third T20I
* 8 September – First ODI
* 11 September – Second ODI
* 14 September – Third ODI
The tour will be a valuable opportunity for both teams to gain experience and prepare for the upcoming ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup in 2025.
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