Pakistan Looks to Build Consistency Ahead of Women’s T20 World Cup
With the Women’s T20 World Cup just over two weeks away, teams are intensifying their preparations. Pakistan is hosting South Africa for a three-match series in Multan as both teams work to address key areas before heading to the UAE for the tournament.
Pakistan’s Struggles: Inconsistency Amid Leadership Changes
Pakistan, a team in transition, is facing challenges with consistency. They are now on their third captain in just 18 months. Fatima Sana, the 22-year-old bowler, will lead the side for the first time in this series, having taken over from Nida Dar, who succeeded Bismah Mahroof. Her task is to create stability, especially in high-stakes tournaments.
Pakistan’s performance in recent T20 World Cups has been modest, winning only one match in each of the last three editions. Entering this year’s tournament, they find themselves in a challenging group with two top contenders, Australia and India, along with the in-form Sri Lanka. While reaching the semi-finals would be a significant achievement, it won’t be easy considering their recent form. Pakistan has won nine and lost 14 of their 23 T20I matches since last year’s World Cup, but they’ve claimed series victories over South Africa and New Zealand, which will give them some confidence.
Another ongoing issue is the need for more professional support from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). The global player body FICA (now WCA) highlighted the need for better infrastructure and pathways for female cricketers in Pakistan to earn a sustainable income from the sport. Recently, some players reported not receiving daily allowances during training camps, which has affected morale ahead of the World Cup.
In this series, Pakistan will focus on improving their batting, an area they have struggled with. Muneeba Ali is currently their top run-scorer in T20Is this year with 280 runs in 12 matches, while left-arm spinner Sadia Iqbal has been their standout bowler with 18 wickets at an average of 14.33.
South Africa is anticipating a spin-heavy strategy from Pakistan, and captain Laura Wolvaardt has stated her team is prepared for this challenge, both in this series and at the upcoming World Cup.
South Africa’s Recent Struggles After Home Success
South Africa reached their first-ever World Cup final earlier this year, raising hopes of finally securing an ICC trophy. However, their momentum has since stalled. Delays in appointing a new coach and poor results have dampened their prospects as they head into this World Cup with interim coach Dillon du Preez.
Since their historic World Cup final appearance, South Africa has played 18 T20I matches, winning five, losing 10, and with three no-results. They’ve lost series against Pakistan, Australia, and Sri Lanka, and even suffered a shock defeat to Bangladesh.
Despite the setbacks, South African fans remain hopeful, especially with the men’s and women’s teams having reached the finals in the last T20 World Cups. However, with the rapid growth of women’s cricket, particularly in India, and the ever-strong Australia and England, South Africa will need something extraordinary to challenge for the title.
South Africa’s strength lies in their top order, with captain Laura Wolvaardt leading the way as their highest run-scorer this year, followed by Marizanne Kapp and Tazmin Brits. However, the middle order has struggled, with former captain Sune Luus averaging under 20 with the bat in the past 18 months. The team relies heavily on allrounders Nadine de Klerk and Chloe Tryon to provide the necessary firepower in the middle overs.
Adding to their concerns is a lackluster bowling attack following the retirement of Shabnim Ismail. De Klerk is currently their top wicket-taker with eight wickets in nine matches, and South Africa will need more from Ayabonga Khaka, Tumi Sekhukhune, and young Ayanda Hlubi in the upcoming tournament.
An exciting prospect for South Africa is the inclusion of 18-year-old legspinner Seshnie Naidu, who may make her debut in the series against Pakistan. Wolvaardt praised her control and is eager to see her perform on the international stage.
Can Pakistan Gain an Edge?
For South Africa, this series is a chance to measure their progress since being swept 3-0 by Pakistan in Karachi last year. Wolvaardt emphasized that it will be a test to see if their recent efforts are paying off. In their last series against Pakistan, South Africa struggled to defend scores of 150 twice and failed to chase 151 in the third match. Wolvaardt noted that finding an extra 10 to 20 runs will be key for her team.
As the Multan Stadium hosts a T20I for the first time, both teams are eager to make the most of this preparation ahead of the World Cup.
