KARACHI: Pakistan women’s cricket team will aim to collect maximum points from the ICC Women’s Championship 2025-29 series against Zimbabwe when they host the African side for the first time at the National Bank Stadium on Monday.

Both Pakistan and Zimbabwe have played one series each – Pakistan losing 2-1 to South Africa and Zimbabwe losing 3-0 to New Zealand. Each of the 11 competing sides will play a total of eight three-match series on a four-home and four-away basis, following which the top seven-ranked sides, plus the host nation or nations of the ICC Women’s World Cup 2029, will qualify automatically for the event proper. The remaining three teams will contest in the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2029 Qualifier.

The ICC is yet to announce the hosts of the qualifiers and the World Cup. Pakistan, after successfully staging the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier 2025 in Lahore last year, remains a favourite to host one of the two events. The ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 was held in India, but Pakistan played its matches in Colombo under an agreement between the ICC and the PCB.

This will be Zimbabwe’s maiden appearance in the ICC Women’s Championship 2025-29 after the ICC last year expanded the series from 10 to 11 sides. In contrast, Pakistan has featured in the previous three editions, finishing seventh, fifth and ninth. Australia won the previous three ICC Women’s Championships.

The ODI series will be followed by the T20I series from 12-15 May and will provide both sides with a useful opportunity to prepare for next month’s ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 in England and Wales. After the home series against Zimbabwe, Pakistan will travel to Ireland, where the West Indies will be the third side in a tri-series to be played on a double-league basis from 28 May to 4 June. The T20 World Cup will kick off on 12 June.

With focus on the T20 World Cup, Pakistan’s women competed in the National Women’s T20 in Lahore in March/April, while the 50-over competition was held in Faisalabad in November/December last year. Trophy was shared in the 50-over event after both Fatima Sana-led Conquerors and Sidra Amin-captained Stars finished on 218 runs. In the National T20, Tuba Hassan-captained Stars defeated Muneeba Ali-led Invincibles by 52 runs.

TALE OF BOTH SIDES

Fatima Sana will captain Pakistan. She has been in excellent form, scoring 117 runs and taking four wickets in ODIs, and aggregating 146 runs and taking two wickets in T20Is, against South Africa. In the National One-Day Tournament, Fatima scored 190 runs and took eight wickets, while in the National Women’s T20, she contributed 21 runs and picked up eight wickets.

Momina Riasat is the only uncapped player in the 15-member Pakistan squad. The 23-year-old took 19 wickets in the 50-over competition in December before following up with 16 wickets in the recently-concluded National Women’s T20.

Zimbabwe squad will be without several experienced names, including Josephine Nkomo and Nyasha Gwanzura (both injured), Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano (unavailable) and Modester Mupachikwa, Chiedza Dhururu, Loreen Tshuma, Loryn Phiri and Tendai Makusha (not selected).

Nomvelo Sibanda will captain the side for the first time after long-standing skipper Mary-Anne Musonda retired from international cricket last month.

Among the players to watch is promising all-rounder Kelis Ndhlovu, who returns after recovering from a concussion sustained during last month’s tour of New Zealand. She is joined by fellow emerging prospects Beloved Biza and Adel Zimunu.

Pakistan Women’s ODI squad: Fatima Sana (captain), Aliya Riaz, Ayesha Zafar, Diana Baig, Gull Feroza, Momina Riasat, Muneeba Ali (wk), Najiha Alvi (wk), Nashra Sundhu, Natalia Parvaiz, Rameen Shamim, Sadaf Shamas, Sidra Amin, Syeda Aroob Shah and Tasmia Rubab. Iram Javed, Eyman Fatima, Saira Jabeen, Tuba Hassan and Amber Kainat (all reserves).

Zimbabwe Women’s squad for Pakistan tour: Nomvelo Sibanda (captain), Beloved Biza, Olinder Chare, Kudzai Chigora, Melinda Kachingwe, Lindokuhle Mabhera, Precious Marange, Michelle Mavunga, Natasha Mtomba, Christina Mutasa, Vimbai Mutungwindu, Kelis Ndhlovu, Kelly Ndiraya, Runyararo Pasipanodya, Adel Zimunu

Schedule of matches (all matches at National Bank Stadium, Karachi):

4 May – 1st ODI (3:30pm)

6 May – 2nd ODI (3:30pm)

9 May – 3rd ODI (3:30pm)

12 May – 1st T20I (7:30pm)

14 May – 2nd T20I (7:30pm)

15 May – 3rd T20I (7:30pm)