Karachi: Pakistan and Bangladesh women’s teams are all set to take the field again when both sides meet in the first of the three ODI matches at Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur in Dhaka on 4 November. The second and third ODIs will be played at the same venue on 7 and 10 November, respectively. The three-match ODI series will be live-streamed on Bangladesh Cricket Board YouTube channel.

The ODIs are part of the ICC Women’s Championship 2022-25, where Pakistan are listed on the sixth spot with six wins from 12 matches, while Bangladesh are on the ninth spot with one win from nine matches. In the ICC Women’s Rankings, Bangladesh are positioned eighth, while the touring side are ranked 10th. On a head-to-head basis, there have been 12 matches between the two teams with Pakistan and Bangladesh winning six each.

Pakistan’s opening batter Sidra Amin is topping the ICC Women’s Championship batting charts with 634 runs from 12 matches at an average of 63.40, including two centuries and three half-centuries. Former captain and left-handed batter Bismah Maroof is tied on the fifth spot on the list, having amassed 391 runs from 12 matches at an average of 55.85, including four half-centuries.

Among bowlers, spinners Ghulam Fatima, Nashra Sundhu and Nida Dar have taken significant wickets in the ICC Women’s Championship. Leg-spinner Ghulam Fatima has 12 wickets from seven outings, left-arm spinner Nashra has 11 wickets to her name from 11 matches, and captain Nida has 10 scalps from 11 matches.

31-year-old Sidra Amin, who has struck her first ODI century against Bangladesh in an ICC Women’s World Cup 2022 match in Hamilton, talked to PCB Digital on the eve of the ODI series against Bangladesh. Sidra said: “Bangladesh are a competitive side, and they have shown us that in the T20I series. We, as a team, will need to be at our best to secure results in our favour, and that's the challenge we all are looking ahead to.

“The players have been working hard on their game. They have had some good practice sessions here in Dhaka and have played a practice one-day game, so we have acclimatised to the conditions well. “Every match in the ICC Women's Championship is crucial, and we understand the significance of the six points on offer in the series. We are determined to perform to the best of our abilities and will try to get the maximum points. “It feels good to be leading the ICC Championship batting charts at the moment, but my focus is on contributing runs to the team's success in these upcoming matches.”

Published in The Daily National Courier, November, 04 2023

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