South Africa women’s cricket team arrived in Pakistan to play three T20Is and as many ICC Women’s Championship 2022-25 ODIs from September 1 to 14 against the home side in Karachi, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Sunday.

The team was accorded a warm welcome at Quaid-e-Azam International Airport in Karachi. This is the first-ever tour of the South Africa women’s cricket team to Pakistan that will kick-start a busy 2023-24 international cricket season for the Pakistan women’s cricket team.

Pakistan presently ranks second on the points table with five wins in nine ODIs (three series) while South Africa has played only one series of three ODIs and has six points.

In the inaugural ICC Women’s Championship 2014-16, Pakistan hosted South Africa in Sharjah with the African side winning the series 2-1. In the 2017-20 edition, Pakistan toured South Africa with the series ending in a 1-1 draw after the third ODI in Benoni finished in a thrilling tie.

South Africa will be the fourth high-profile national women’s side to tour Pakistan in recent times. In January 2019, West Indies women played three T20Is in Karachi, while in May and November 2022, Sri Lanka and Ireland played ODIs and T20Is in Karachi and Lahore, respectively.

Separately, 11 cricketers from seven countries, including three captains, featured in the three Women’s League Exhibition matches in Rawalpindi in March.

The home series against South Africa will be one of the five ICC Women’s Championship series Pakistan will participate in during the 2023-24 season. In October, Pakistan will travel to Bangladesh, followed by tours to New Zealand in November and England in May 2024. Before their tour to England, Pakistan will host the West Indies in April 2024.

Reporter: Javed Iqbal