LAHORE, The Pakistan national women\u2019s team\u2019s preparations for the ICC Women\u2019s World Cup Qualifier and the next year\u2019s ICC Women\u2019s Cricket World Cup commence tomorrow,Wednesday when they take on West Indies Women in the first of the five One-Day Internationals at Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua.<\/p>\n
This will be the fourth ODI Pakistan will play in 2021 after their tour of South Africa earlier in the year where they played the hosts in three-match series at the Kingsmead, Durban.
\nIncluding the first ODI, the Coolidge Cricket Ground will host the second and fifth ODIs on 9 and 18 July, and the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium will host the third and fourth fixtures on 12 and 15 July.<\/p>\n
All-rounders Aliya Riaz and Nida Dar were amongst the top-three run-getters in the three ODIs against South Africa, which the hosts won, and Pakistan will be banking on their experience. Aliya amassed 136 runs at an average of over 45 to finish as the top-scorer, while Nida struck two half-centuries to gather 124 runs at a staggering 62 runs per innings and finished as the third highest run-getter.<\/p>\n
Pacer Diana Baig impressed with nine wickets from three innings \u2013 which included her career best four for 30. She was outstanding in the third T20I against West Indies on Sunday at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium both in the field and with the ball as she took a phenomenal catch diving to her right to provide Pakistan their first breakthrough and took two wickets in the next over to finish with two for 17 from her four overs.<\/p>\n
Pakistan put a disciplined show with the ball during the series restricting the hosts to 136 for six, 125 for six and gave them a run for their money in the third T20I with the hosts crossing the line in the chase of 103 with just five balls spare.<\/p>\n
Nida Dar \u2013 who crossed the 100-T20I wicket milestone during the series \u2013 19-year-old Fatima Sana and Diana all finished with four wickets each. Nida played a crucial role in drying up the flow of runs in the middle phase of the innings as she bowled at an economy of 4.83 and average of 13.50.<\/p>\n
With the bowling department living up to the expectations, it is the batting which needs to perform to its full potential in the five-match series for Pakistan to deliver favourable results, believes Javeria Khan, the Pakistan captain who is the side\u2019s most successful ODI batter with 2,744 runs at over 30.<\/p>\n
Javeria Khan said on Tuesday : \u201cCertainly, these five matches are very important. They will help us in finalising our combinations ahead of the World Cup Qualifiers and the all-important Women\u2019s World Cup next year.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur goal is to ensure that our batting clicks and every batter performs to the fullest of their potential. These three T20Is have helped us to gauge what the conditions demand from the batters. I am hopeful that we will do well in the ODIs and the batters will handle the pressure well and remain calm in crunch situations.<\/p>\n
\u201cOf course, there is disappointment on the 3-0 loss in the T20Is. The players had worked hard in the lead up to this series, especially as a batting unit. We could not stand out as a fielding unit, but our bowling was a positive as it improved as the series progressed.<\/p>\n
\u201cNida and Anam Amin were quite good and played a crucial role in drying up the runs for the opposition. Fatima Sana, despite being young, has shown her potential by handling the pressure well in tough situations. Diana bowled brilliantly in the last match.\u201d
\nPakistan Women \u2018A\u2019 to play three one-days from Saturday<\/p>\n
The national women\u2019s \u2018A\u2019 team had a brilliant T20 series as they defeated their West Indian counterparts 3-0.<\/p>\n
Ayesha Zafar, the right-handed opener, top-scored in the series with 93 runs \u2013 including a half-century in the third match \u2013 and Kainat Imtiaz dominated the bowling chart with four wickets. Ramin Shameem, who captained Pakistan in the last two matches, Maham Tariq, Aimen Anwar finished with three wickets each.
\nThey will return to action on 10 July to play West Indies Women \u2018A\u2019 in three one-days. Ramin will continue to lead the \u2018A\u2019 team.<\/p>\n
Squad:
\nJaveria Khan (captain, national team), Ramin Shameem (One-Day captain, \u2018A\u2019 team), Sidra Nawaz (T20 captain, A team), Aliya Riaz, Aiman Anwar, Anam Amin, Ayesha Naseem, Ayesha Zafar, Diana Baig, Fatima Sana, Iram Javed, Jaweria Rauf, Kainat Imtiaz, Kaynat Hafeez, Maham Tariq, Muneeba Ali Siddiqui (wk), Nahida Khan, Najiha Alvi (wk), Nashra Sundhu, Natalia Parvaiz, Nida Dar, Omaima Sohail, Saba Nazir, Sadia Iqbal, Sidra Amin, and Syeda Aroob Shah.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
LAHORE, The Pakistan national women\u2019s team\u2019s preparations for the ICC Women\u2019s World Cup Qualifier and the next year\u2019s ICC Women\u2019s Cricket World Cup commence tomorrow,Wednesday when they take on West Indies Women in the first of the five One-Day Internationals at Coolidge Cricket Ground in […]<\/p>\n
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