Pak girls launch WI series with 100th T20 today

LAHORE: Pakistan women’s cricket team will complete a century of T20Is on Thursday when they will take the field against the West Indies women’s cricket team at the Southend Club in Karachi.

The first match of the three-game series will start at 11h00 and will be broadcast live by GEO Super, said a spokesman of the Pakistan Cricket Board here on Wednesday. In 99 T20Is to date, Pakistan have won 40 and lost 56. In contrast, the West Indies have featured in 112 T20Is, winning 65 and losing 41. In a head to head, the West Indies lead Pakistan 6-1 in nine T20Is.

“Interestingly, when Pakistan won their only T20I in Guyana in September 2011, Bismah Maroof (43 not out) and Javeria Khan (37) had put on 83 runs for the fifth wicket as Pakistan had achieved the 116-run target with 15 balls to spare,” he said.

The two players, along with Sana Mir and Nida Dar, who were also part of the side eight years ago, are expected to take the field on Thursday.“I feel honoured and privileged to captain Pakistan in their 100th T20I. And to captain in a home series, is even more pleasing,” remarked Bismah.

“We are making a steady progress in international cricket. The more we will play against fancied and strong sides like the West Indies, the better we will get. We have good talent in the ranks, and all we lack is regular international experience and exposure. Series like these will only help us narrow the gap with the front-running sides.”

Thursday’s encounter between the two sides will be their first meeting in Pakistan since 2004 when they played a Test and seven One-Day Internationals in Karachi. The Test was drawn, while the West Indies won the ODI series 5-2.

The West Indies, who won the ICC Women’s World T20 2016 in Kolkata, are ranked fourth in the ICC rankings, while Pakistan is 38 points behind in seventh position. This means the visitors will start off as favourites, but wins for the home girls will help them narrow the gap with the more experienced opponents.

Deandra Dottin, the 27-year from Barbados who has played in 107 T20Is, will start as the highest-ranked batter from either side in fifth position. Dottin has hit nine half-centuries and two centuries in 105 innings in which she has scored 2,210 runs.

Javeria is Pakistan’s highest-ranked batter in 14th position. The 30-year-old veteran of 85 matches has scored 1,487 runs with five half-centuries and has also taken 11 wickets.

Squads: Pakistan women’s cricket team: Bismah Maroof (captain), Aiman Anwar, Aliya Riaz, Anam Amin, Diana Baig, Irum Javed, Javeria Khan, Nashra Sandhu, Natalia Pervaiz, Nida Dar, Sana Mir, Sidra Amin, Sidra Nawaz (wicketkeeper) and Omaima Sohail.

West Indies women’s cricket team: Merissa Aguilleira (T20I capt), Shemaine Campbelle, Shamilia Connell, Deandra Dottin, Afy Fletcher, Chinelle Henry, Kycia Knight, Natasha McClean, Anisa Mohammed, Chedean Nation, Karishma Ramharack, Shakera Selman and Rashada Williams.