Pakistan are bowling first on Monday after losing the toss in their third and final one-day international (ODI) against South Africa in the lead-up to the Women’s World Cup.
Proteas skipper Laura Wolvaardt called the coin toss correctly at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore and chose to bat first.
Eyman Fatima makes her debut for the Green Shirts, and spin all-rounder Syeda Aroob Shah returns to the side.
In the second ODI on Friday, the Women in Green were all set to chase South Africa’s daunting 313-run total, but fell 25 runs short.
A spectacular knock by Sidra Amin, who became the first Pakistani batter to score consecutive centuries, brought them close, but in the end, the Duckworth-Lewis method adjusted 313-run target was a step too far.
Setting a mammoth score to chase after the Proteas batters ruled the roost in the first innings, Sidra stepped up again under the Gaddafi Stadium lights to score a sublime hundred — but failed to close the chase.
The Proteas had sailed to an easy victory over Pakistan after chasing down a target of 256 to win by eight wickets in the first ODI of their series in Lahore on Tuesday.
The ODIs were all staged at the Gaddafi Stadium, with the first ball of all matches bowled at 3:30pm.
Pakistan’s 15-member squad is captained by Fatima, while Laura Wolvaardt leads the visiting side. In the build-up to the series, Pakistan held a two-week pre-series camp in Lahore, which included practice sessions and scenario-based matches.
The squad featured one uncapped player, Eyman Fatima, who recently made her T20I debut against Ireland in Dublin in August.
The series provides both sides with an opportunity to finalise preparations for the eight-team World Cup, set to take place from September 30 to November 2 in India and Sri Lanka. Pakistan will play all their matches in Sri Lanka.
Head-to-head, in 28 ODI matches, South Africa had an upper hand against Pakistan, but the last time both sides met, Pakistan defeated South Africa by eight wickets in the ICC Women’s Championship 2022-25 series fixture at the National Stadium in Karachi on Sept 14, 2023.
