Karachi: Pakistan’s women’s cricket team is set to embark on a crucial tour of South Africa as part of their preparations for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026. The Pakistan Cricket Board has announced the squads for the One Day International (ODI) and Twenty20 International (T20I) series, with Fatima Sana continuing her role as captain in both formats. The tour follows a disappointing Women’s World Cup 2025 campaign, pushing the team to fine-tune their combinations ahead of the upcoming marquee event in England and Wales.
According to International Cricket Council, the T20I squad sees the introduction of uncapped players Saira Jabeen and Humna Bilal, who have earned their maiden call-ups. The tour also marks the return of seasoned players Ayesha Zafar, Gull Feroza, Tasmia Rubab, and wicketkeeper-batter Najiha Alvi to the ODI lineup after missing out on last year’s Women’s ODI World Cup selection. Key players such as Aliya Riaz, Ayesha Zafar, Gull Feroza, Muneeba Ali, Nashra Sundhu, Natalia Parvaiz, Rameen Shamim, Sadia Iqbal, Sidra Amin, and Tasmia Rubab are included in both squads, while others like Diana Baig, Najiha Alvi, Sadaf Shamas, and Syeda Aroob Shah are named exclusively for the ODI series.
The team will hold a pre-series training camp at the Hanif Mohammad High Performance Centre in Karachi from February 1 to 6 before departing for South Africa. The tour marks Pakistan Women’s return to South Africa for a bilateral series since January 2021, though they have played matches in the region during the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2023. The T20I series will begin on February 10 in Potchefstroom, followed by matches in Benoni and Kimberley. The ODI series will commence on February 22 in Bloemfontein, with subsequent games in Centurion and Durban.