CHRISTCHURCH: Pakistan women’s team will depart for Dunedin from Christchurch tomorrow morning to feature in the white-ball series against New Zealand. The three-match T20I series is scheduled to take place from 3 to 9 December in Dunedin and Queenstown, while the three ODIs – part of ICC Women’s Championship – will be held in Queenstown and Christchurch from 12 to 18 December.
Since arriving in Christchurch on Saturday, 25 November, the 17-member squad led by Nida Dar took part in two practice sessions and played two practice games against New Zealand XI. In the 50-over practice match played at the Bert Sutcliffe Oval in Lincoln University on Tuesday, 28 November, Pakistan women’s team defeated New Zealand XI by 57 runs on the back of four wickets from captain Nida and crucial 38 runs in the lower-order from wicketkeeper-batter Najiha Alvi.
In today’s T20 match held at the same venue, New Zealand XI secured a 28-run over Pakistan women’s team. New Zealand XI posted a score of 168 for seven in 20 overs after being put into bat first, with Georgia Plimmer contributing 52 runs. Pakistan’s spinners Nida and Nashra Sundhu bagged two wickets apiece, while fast bowler Waheeda Akhtar also grabbed two wickets.
In turn, opening batter Muneeba Ali top-scored for the touring side with a 31-ball 32, hitting four boundaries, as Pakistan women’s team managed to score 140 for eight in 20 overs. For New Zealand XI, Kayley Knight and Nensi Patel took three wickets apiece.
Following the match, both teams played a super over to provide additional practice and adapt to different T20 match situations. The super over was tied on both occasions, with both sides failing to achieve the required target set by the opposing side batting first.
Talking to PCB Digital at the conclusion of the match, interim head coach Mauhtashim Rashid said: “We had good practice sessions and practice games here in Christchurch before the start of the series. Obviously, the conditions here are different, the players are trying to adopt to the conditions and these back-to-back matches are going to help the players to achieve that goal.
“We have tried our young players today in the T20 match as we are preparing for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup next year. We have young players coming forward, some are in Pakistan, and we plan to give more chances and exposure to those who are here, hoping they will gain valuable experience from it.”
Pakistan squad:
Nida Dar (captain), Aliya Riaz, Bismah Maroof, Diana Baig, Fatima Sana, Ghulam Fatima, Muneeba Ali (wk), Najiha Alvi (wk), Nashra Sundhu, Natalia Parvaiz, Omaima Sohail, Sadaf Shamas, Sadia Iqbal, Shawaal Zulfiqar, Sidra Amin, Umm-e-Hani and Waheeda Akhtar
Series schedule:
3 Dec – 1st T20I, Dunedin (1pm local time)
5 Dec – 2nd T20I, Dunedin (1pm local time)
9 Dec – 3rd T20I, Queenstown (1pm local time)
12 Dec – 1st ODI, Queenstown (11am local time) (ICC Women’s Championship)
15 Dec – 2nd ODI, Christchurch (2pm local time) (ICC Women’s Championship)
18 Dec – 3rd ODI, Christchurch (2pm local time) (ICC Women’s Championship)
