South Africa Women host Pakistan Women in the first ODI of the three-match series at the Mangaung Oval in Bloemfontein on February 22, 2026. This match marks the start of South Africa’s ICC Women’s Championship 2025-2029 cycle.
Laura Wolvaardt captains a powerful Proteas side that finished as runners-up at the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup. Fatima Sana leads a Pakistan team looking to build momentum ahead of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026.
The T20I series concluded with South Africa winning 2-1, but Pakistan showed fight by winning the final game. Both teams now switch focus to the 50-over format for this important bilateral series.
South Africa Women vs Pakistan Women Match Preview
South Africa enters this series with home advantage and strong recent form. They reached the final of the 2025 Women’s World Cup, only to lose to India. In the recently concluded T20I series against Pakistan, South Africa won 2-1 despite losing the final match by 53 runs. Debutant Kayla Reyneke impressed in the first T20I with a five-wicket haul.
Pakistan comes into this ODI series with confidence after their dominant 53-run win in the third T20I. Fatima Sana was named Player of the Series in the T20Is. The ODI squad includes experienced players like Diana Baig, Aliya Riaz, and Sidra Amin, who return to strengthen the team.
| Details | Information |
|---|---|
| Match | South Africa Women vs Pakistan Women, 1st ODI |
| Date | 22 February 2026 |
| Time | 10:00 AM Local / 1:30 PM IST / 8:00 AM GMT |
| Venue | Mangaung Oval, Bloemfontein |
| Series | Pakistan Women’s tour of South Africa 2026 (3 ODIs) |
| Context | ICC Women’s Championship 2025-2029 cycle opener |
Pitch Report
The Mangaung Oval in Bloemfontein offers a balanced pitch that has historically favored batting. The surface provides good bounce and carry, which helps fast bowlers early in the innings. As the match progresses, the pitch flattens out and becomes more batting-friendly. Spinners can find grip and turn as the game advances into the middle overs.
Teams batting first have been successful at this venue. The average first-innings score in ODIs here is around 250-280 runs. The boundaries are reasonably sized with the shortest at 59-62 meters and the longest at 64-68 meters. Batters can score freely once they get set, making this a good venue for stroke-makers. The venue has floodlights and can host day-night matches.
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Pitch Type | Balanced, slightly batting-friendly |
| Average 1st Innings Score | Around 250-280 in Women’s ODIs |
| Pace vs Spin | Pace gets help early, spin is effective in the middle overs |
| Toss Factor | Batting first preferred |
| Boundary Size | Shortest 59-62m, longest 64-68m |
Weather Report
Bloemfontein in late February offers typical late summer conditions. Match day will see temperatures between 17°C and 28°C with partly cloudy skies. There is a possibility of light rain with approximately 4mm expected. The wind will blow from the North-West at around 33 km/h. Humidity levels will be moderate. The morning session should be clear, with isolated thunderstorms possible in the afternoon, which is common for this time of year in South Africa.
| Condition | Details |
|---|---|
| Temperature | 17-28°C (around 25°C during match) |
| Sky | Partly cloudy with light rain possible |
| Rain Chance | Moderate (around 4mm expected) |
| Humidity | 65-70% |
| Overall | Typical late summer conditions, afternoon showers possible |
Toss Prediction
The captain winning the toss at Mangaung Oval is likely to choose to bat first. Historical data shows that teams batting first have won more matches at this venue. The pitch offers good batting conditions early on before spinners come into play later. With potential afternoon showers, batting first allows teams to set a target without interruptions from the weather. The surface tends to slow down as the day progresses, making chasing slightly more difficult. Expect Laura Wolvaardt or Fatima Sana to bat first if they win the toss.
Injury Updates
South Africa Women: No Injury Concern.
Pakistan Women: No Injury Concern
Dream11 Team For South Africa Women vs Pakistan Women
South Africa Women vs Pakistan Women Head-to-Head Records in ODIs
South Africa Women hold a commanding record over Pakistan Women in ODI cricket. Out of 31 matches played, South Africa have won 23 while Pakistan have claimed just 6 victories. There has been 1 tied game and 1 no result. South Africa’s win rate is approximately 75%, indicating clear dominance in this rivalry. The most recent bilateral series in September 2025 ended 2-1 in South Africa’s favor, though Pakistan won the final ODI. At the 2025 Women’s World Cup, South Africa crushed Pakistan by 150 runs in Colombo.
| Category | Stats |
|---|---|
| Total ODI Matches | 31 |
| South Africa Wins | 23 |
| Pakistan Wins | 6 |
| Tied/No Result | 2 |
Last 5 ODI Meetings
- SA Women won by 150 runs (DLS method) 21-Oct-2025
- PAK Women won by 6 wickets (with 114 balls remaining) 22-Sep-2025
- SA Women won by 25 runs (DLS method) 19-Sep-2025
- SA Women won by 8 wickets (with 10 balls remaining) 16-Sep-2025
- PAK Women won by 8 wickets (with 72 balls remaining) 14-Sep-2023
Suggested Reads:
Top Picks For The Match
| Player | Team | Role | Key Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laura Wolvaardt | SA-W | Batter | Captain, 807 runs in 10 ODIs, avg 100.87, world’s No.1 ODI batter |
| Nonkululeko Mlaba | SA-W | Bowler | Left-arm spinner, 16 wickets in 9 ODIs, econ 4.73 |
| Sune Luus | SA-W | All-rounder | 303 runs at avg 43.28, useful off-spin |
| Fatima Sana | PAK-W | All-rounder | Captain, Player of T20I Series, 73 ODI wickets, 632 runs |
| Sidra Amin | PAK-W | Batter | 431 runs in 10 ODIs, avg 71.83, top-order anchor |
| Nashra Sandhu | PAK-W | Bowler | Left-arm spinner, 13 wickets in 10 ODIs, econ 4.61 |
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