India-South Africa Women’s Series Likely to Start From 7 March

SA played recently but India have not since the T20 WC in March last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Indian women’s cricket team during the T20 World Cup final on 8 March against Australia. 

(Photo: BCCI)

The eight-match limited-overs series between India and South Africa Women is likely to begin from 7 March, marking the return to competitive cricket for the hosts after almost 12 months.

The Indian women’s cricket team last played in the T20 World Cup final in Melbourne against Australia on 8 March and then were involved in the exhibition Women's T20 Challenge in Sharjah in November last year.

Some of the Indian players had taken part in a club tournament as well in Bangalore recently.

The series, comprising five T20Is and three ODIs, is likely to be held in either Lucknow or Kanpur in a bio-bubble, a BCCI official was quoted as saying by PTI. The series was initially set to be held at the Greenfield Sports Hub Stadium in Thiruvanthapuram but Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) expressed its inability to stage the matches as stadium owners had a booked an Army recruitment drive on the same dates.

A 22-member Indian team has been picked for the contest.

With the fixtures of the series yet to be announced, a Cricket South Africa (CSA) source confirmed that their team is set to travel to India this week.

"The COVID tests have been done, the team is ready to leave anytime," the source said.

Both teams will have to undergo a six-day quarantine which means they will get a week of training before the series opener. South Africa played recently but India have not played since the T20 World Cup in March last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Since the series will have to be played in a bio-bubble, the team needs to assemble at least two weeks before the first game with six days reserved for quarantine.

"Getting match ready will be a challenge for Indian players but the most important this thing that the series is finally happening. The players needed this badly," said the BCCI official.

(With PTI Inputs)