South Africa Women vs Pakistan Women, 1st ODI

The upcoming 1st ODI between South Africa Women and Pakistan Women at Mangaung Oval marks the start of an eagerly anticipated series during Pakistan Women's 2026 tour of South Africa. South Africa Women enter the series with solid recent form, having won 3 of their last 5 ODIs, showcasing a balanced side with both experienced campaigners and young talent making crucial contributions. Pakistan Women, while slightly inconsistent, have shown signs of resurgence with competitive performances, lifting their confidence on overseas tours. Historically, the two sides have shared competitive encounters, with South Africa holding a slight edge in the head-to-head ODI matches. Key performers for South Africa include their top-order batswoman and strike bowler, both of whom have been instrumental in recent victories, exhibiting form and adaptability to home conditions. Pakistan’s strength lies in their aggressive middle order and a versatile bowling attack with several promising pacers and spinners making impactful breakthroughs in recent games. Strategically, South Africa might leverage the familiarity with home pitches to apply pressure early, focusing on quick runs off the powerplay and disciplined bowling on the middle overs. Pakistan, on the other hand, may look to tighten their bowling discipline and capitalize on fielding standards to contain South African batswomen while building resilient partnerships to chase or set challenging totals. Considering the form, conditions, and home advantage, South Africa Women are marginal favorites but Pakistan Women’s unpredictable nature adds significant excitement to the contest. #### AI suggested match winner South Africa Women: 57%, Pakistan Women: 43%

If South Africa Women bat first, they are likely to post a competitive total around 260-270 runs, capitalizing on familiar pitch conditions and their strong batting lineup. Their top and middle order have consistently delivered totals in this range at Mangaung Oval. Conversely, if Pakistan Women bat first, given the same pitch and opposition bowling attack, a score near 240-250 runs is a realistic expectation. Pakistan's batting has been improving but has occasionally found it challenging to build sustained innings against quality pace and spin. The pitch at Mangaung Oval traditionally favors stroke play early on but can offer assistance to spinners later, indicating mid- to high-250s totals will be competitive and provide exciting chases.

The pitch at Mangaung Oval is known for its balanced nature, offering a true contest between bat and ball. Historically, the average first-innings score at this venue in women's ODIs is around 255 runs. The pitch provides consistent bounce and pace early on, favoring fast bowlers, but starts to aid spinners in the second half of the innings. Chasing sides have enjoyed success here, with a win percentage close to 55% in successful run chases over the past five years. Weather conditions on 22nd February are expected to be clear with temperatures around 28°C and little chance of rain, ensuring an uninterrupted match. Within the two teams, South Africa’s best bowler on this ground has been Shabnim Ismail with a 4-wicket haul in previous matches. The best batswoman at Mangaung Oval for South Africa has been Timbavati Mnisi with a highest score of 87 runs. For Pakistan, Nida Dar has recorded the best bowling figures of 3/26 here, while Bismah Maroof holds the top batting record of 75 runs in an innings at this venue.

Matches Played	South Africa Women Wins	Pakistan Women Wins	Ties/No Result
15	9	5	1

Team Recent Performance

Team	Last 5 Matches
South Africa Women	W, L, W, W, L
Pakistan Women	L, W, L, W, L

Timbavati Mnisi: Recently in great touch, Mnisi has scored back-to-back half-centuries, anchoring South Africa's innings effectively.

Shabnim Ismail: A pace spearhead who combines experience with pace, Ismail continues to trouble opposition batswomen with early strikes.

Nida Dar: Pakistan's all-rounder has provided key breakthroughs with the ball and shown resilience with the bat in middle overs recently.

Bismah Maroof: The experienced captain offering stability at the top order, Maroof has played two crucial knocks in the last five ODIs.

Aimen Anwar: Emerging fast bowler with pace and accuracy, Aimen has impressed by consistently taking wickets in powerplay overs.

Maliha Hussain: Young spinner with growing confidence, Maliha has bowled economically and picked important wickets in recent matches.