At the Allan Border Field in Brisbane on Monday, the Pakistan women’s team, captained by Bismah Maroof, will play host to Australia in the first of three ICC Women’s Championship one-day internationals. The second ODI is all set to be played at the North Sydney Oval in Sydney on Wednesday, January 18, while the third ODI is planned for the same ground on Saturday, January 21.
Three T20I matches, to be played in Sydney, Hobart, and Canberra from January 24 to 29, will follow the ODI series. The women’s team trained in Lahore and Karachi before travelling to Australia, where they also took part in a number of intra-squad games.
Pakistan is ranked tenth in the ICC Women’s ODI rankings, which are currently held by Australia. Pakistan is now ranked second in the ICC Women’s Championship 2022–25 behind India after winning five of their six matches, while Australia will face Pakistan in their opening encounter on Monday.
Pakistan will be looking to continue the momentum after they defeated Sri Lanka 2-1 in Karachi in June of last year and then defeated Ireland 3-0 in Lahore in November.
Key Players to Watch out for Pakistan
Sidra Ameen: Sidra has her boots all tied compact to lock horns with the Australian side on Monday. With a staggering total of 495 runs in six games, Sidra is leading the ICC Women’s Championship batting standings. Her unbeaten 176 against Ireland in the opening ODI of the series in her birthplace of Lahore—the fifth-highest individual score in Women’s ODIs—was a defining moment in her batting prowess.
Nida Dar: When playing against the Governor-XI, General’s ace all-rounder of Pakistan had a fantastic game, taking down four batters for an exchange of runs in 10 overs. For her team, the off-spinner accounted to be the most effective bowler. She is a reliable middle-order batswoman in addition to her bowling.
Bismah Maroof: In her most recent match against the Governor-XI, General’s Pakistan’s skipper took the initiative in leading the run chase. At third base, the southpaw managed 74 off 103 pitches, including eight singles over the fence. She will be crucial to her team’s batting performance.
Key Players to Watch out for Australia
Meg Lanning: Australia’s captain is back in the saddle. It is anticipated that the “Megastar” will be eager to depart after a mental health sabbatical. The most in women’s ODI cricket, she has 4463 runs in 100 games, including 15 hundreds. Once she has smelt the crease When she starts, she is impossible to put down.
Alana King: The last game being played here, when the spinners bothered the hitters, would have been witnessed by Australia’s cunning leg spinner, Alana King, a young sensation for the Aussies. In her twelve ODI games, she has taken 14 wickets. She is a bowler that consistently gets wickets while still being efficient. Lower in the order, she can be useful with the bat as well.
Georgia Wareham: Due to the long-term injury to leg-spinner Georgia Wareham, Australia’s team selection for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in South Africa has drawn attention. She has replaced Nicola Carey in the squad that defeated India 4-1 in a T20I series late last year, who prevailed over fellow leg-spinner Amanda-Jade Wellington to earn a spot in the team and is expected to turn the tables much drastic.
Australia Women ODI Squad:
Meg Lanning (c), Tahlia McGrath (vc), Darcie Brown, Nicola Carey, Ashleigh Gardner, Kim Garth, Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Phoebe Litchfield, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland
Pakistan Women ODI Squad:
Bismah Maroof (c), Aliya Riaz, Ayesha Naseem, Diana Baig, Fatima Sana, Kainat Imtiaz, Muneeba Ali, Nashra Sandhu, Nida Dar, Omaima Sohail, Sadaf Shamas, Sadia Iqbal, Sidra Amin, Sidra Nawaz, Tuba Hassan
Schedule
Monday Jan 16: Allan Border Field, Brisbane 10:05am
Wednesday Jan 18: Allan Border Field, Brisbane 10:05am
Saturday Jan 21: North Sydney Oval, 11:05am
