Pakistan is all set to host South Africa for an exciting cricketing series, which will commence on September 1 at 6:30 pm IST. The National Stadium in Karachi will witness three One Day Internationals (ODIs) and three Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) between the two teams. This is a crucial series for both teams as they look forward to proving their mettle against each other.
The most intriguing aspect of this series is that Laura Wolvaardt will be leading the South African team for the first time in her career. The interim captain was appointed after Sune Luus chose to step down from the role. With 18 matches played between the two sides, South Africa has the upper hand with 11 wins, while Pakistan has won seven times. However, the last time these two teams met, Pakistan emerged victorious. South Africa has witnessed a significant turnover in their squads since that last meeting, with the retirements of key players such as Mignon du Preez, Lizelle Lee, Dane van Niekerk, and Shabnim Ismail. Hence, it will be interesting to watch how the new-look South African team fares against the host.
Squads:
Pakistan – Nida Dar (c), Aliya Riaz, Bismah Maroof, Diana Baig, Fatima Sana, Muneeba Ali, Najiha Alvi (wk), Nashra Sundhu, Natalia Parvaiz, Sadaf Shamas, Sadia Iqbal, Shawaal Zulfiqar, Sidra Amin, Syeda Aroob Shah, Umm-e-Hani
South Africa – Anneke Bosch, Tazmin Brits, Nadine de Klerk, Mieke de Ridder, Lara Goodall, Sinalo Jafta, Marizanne Kapp, Ayabonga Khaka, Masabata Klaas, Suné Luus, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Tumi Sekhukhune, Nondumiso Shangase, Delmi Tucker, Laura Wolvaardt
Players to watch for:
· Diana Baig
Diana Baig is a Pakistani speedster who has taken 27 wickets from her 37 innings. Her best performance of 2/11 came against Bangladesh. Unfortunately, she was ruled out in January due to a finger injury. However, she is set to make a comeback and is often seen as someone who can score some handy runs in the lower order. Her comeback series will be closely followed.
· Aliya Riaz
Known for her power-hitting, the 30-year-old all-rounder has only managed 240 runs from her 24 matches at an under-par strike rate of 95.61. Apart from that, she got the chance to bowl a solitary over in just one match. It will be intriguing to see how she fares tomorrow against a good team.
· Marizanne Kapp
Kapp is arguably one of the best pace bowling all-rounders. She was declared as the most valuable player in the recently concluded The Hundred, she took 11 wickets and scored 147 runs. In her 94 T20Is, she has scored 1178 runs and has taken 76 scalps, thus making her a valuable asset.
· Tazmin Brits
In the semi-final of the ICC T20 World Cup, she scored a well-made 68(55) against the former world champions England. She ended the tournament with 186 runs and sat handsomely in the top five run-getters of the marquee event. The 32-year-old has made 793 runs from her 36 T20Is for South Africa.
Pitch
The pitch at the National Stadium in Karachi favours spinners, with 24 wickets taken by spinners in the last five T20s compared to 13 by pacers. With an average innings score of 140, any total around that mark will be a challenging target to achieve.
Weather
The weather forecast for the match is promising, with a 20% chance of precipitation. However, clouds are expected to hover throughout the day, making it a humid day with a moderate wind speed of 23 km/h. The temperature will be around 29 degrees Celsius, which can be challenging for players during physical exertion.
Fantasy Playing 11
Muneeba Ali, Laura Wolvaardt, Sune Luus, Tazmin Brits, Aliya Riaz, Marizanne Kapp, Nida Dar, Nadene de Klerk, Omaima Sohail, Nashra Sandhu, Nonkululeko Mlaba
Match details:
Date – September 1, 2023
Time – 8:00 PM IST
Venue – National Stadium, Karachi
Broadcast – Indian viewers can enjoy the live streaming at Fancode.
A budding writer, who is trying her level best to do her bit for Women’s cricket.