Lahore (GNP): The Pakistan Cricket Board has confirmed that South Africa’s Women’s U19 squad will make its first-ever visit to Pakistan for a five-match T20 series. All five games will be played at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi between 14 and 24 July, with match start times to be confirmed later.
The South African squad is due to land in Karachi on 10 July, followed by three days of training at the National Bank Stadium from 11 to 13 July, ahead of the series opener on Tuesday, 14 July.
Pakistan’s U19 women last played a bilateral T20 series in Bangladesh, where they came out on top 3-2 in a five-match contest. This upcoming series against South Africa gives the home side a chance to fine-tune their game ahead of two major upcoming tournaments — the ACC Women’s U19 T20 Asia Cup later this year and the ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup early next year. In preparation, the PCB’s Women’s Cricket Department has already run a series of training camps for U19 players in Karachi.
In a separate match recap, Pakistan had stumbled to 14 for four inside the fourth over after Marizanne Kapp dismissed both openers, taking three wickets in the Powerplay alone. Three run-outs added to the collapse, leaving Pakistan at 50 for eight after 11 overs.
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The innings was rescued by a ninth-wicket stand of 71 between Fatima and Tuba (23 off 27 balls, with two fours), the largest ninth-wicket partnership in the history of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, and the second-largest in Women’s T20I cricket overall. Fatima finished unbeaten on 55 off 38 deliveries, hitting six fours and two sixes, including back-to-back sixes off de Klerk in the final over, to reach her third WT20I half-century, off just 35 balls.
The innings also gave her the record for the highest score by a batter at number eight or lower in ICC Women’s T20 World Cup history.
Series schedule (all matches at National Bank Stadium, Karachi):
- 10 July — South Africa squad arrives in Karachi
- 11–13 July — Joint training sessions for both teams
- 14 July — First T20
- 17 July — Second T20
- 19 July — Third T20
- 22 July — Fourth T20
- 24 July — Fifth T20
