Johannesburg: Cricket South Africa (CSA) has announced that the women’s team will be hosting Bangladesh and Sri Lanka for two women’s white-ball series in the 2023-24 season. While Bangladesh will be touring South Africa from December 3-23, Sri Lanka is scheduled to tour the country from March 27-April 17, 2024.
South Africa is currently on white-ball tour of Pakistan and will host New Zealand at home before taking on Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. South Africa will take on Bangladesh in a three-match T20I series on December 3, 6 and 8.
This will be followed by a three-match ODI series between the two teams from December 16-23 and is a part of the ICC Women’s Championship 2022-25 (IWC), which offers points towards 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup qualification.
The venues for the Bangladesh tour will span four cities: Benoni, Kimberley, East London and Potchefstroom. South Africa will then welcome Sri Lanka at the end of the 2023-24 season. It comprises three T20Is to be hosted by Benoni, Potchefstroom and East London from March 27-April 3, before three ODIs take place in East London, Kimberley and Potchefstroom from April 9-17.
CSA added that both tours will feature a 50-over warm-up match ahead of the respective IWC One-Dayers, with a South Africa XI taking on their Bangladeshi and Sri Lankan counterparts.
“Taking on the challenges posed by Bangladesh and Sri Lanka marks both the exciting continuation and culmination of our 2023/24 summer of cricket for the Proteas Women. These inbound tours hold the promise of thrilling cricket action and provide our team with another opportunity to shine on the international stage.”
“It’s particularly intriguing to welcome Bangladesh in the heart of the South African summer during the festive month of December. The blend of international cricket with the year-end jollity in the country will be a treat for sports enthusiasts across the nation, while Sri Lanka’s visit towards the end of the season will serve as a fitting finale to what promises to be a busy and, hopefully, successful campaign for the Proteas Women.”
“I extend my gratitude to the national bodies of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka for their cooperation and facilitation in ensuring the smooth execution of these extensive tours. This effort enables South Africans to once again relish the elite display of women’s cricket in their own backyard,” said Pholetsi Moseki, CSA Chief Executive.
South Africa recently faced Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in Women’s T20 World Cup 2023 round-robin phase on home soil. Sri Lanka kicked off the group stage with a surprise three-run victory over South Africa before the host nation ended Group A with a win over Bangladesh to ultimately secure their spot in the semi-finals and make history with a first-ever finals appearance at Cape Town.
–IANS