The Bangladesh women’s cricket team is now touring South Africa, having left Saturday, for a five-match ODI series followed by a three-match T20I series that will take up the best part of May.     

All the fixtures will be played across three venues – Kimberley, Bloemfontein and Potchefstroom, reports the UNB.

Bangladesh women’s ODI captain Rumana Ahmed stressed the overseas experience they will gain through this tour,  the ICC Women’s World T20 2018 in the West Indies, and before that the qualification tournament for it in the Netherlands  looming later this year.

‘Our main ambition is to get as much experience as possible from the South Africa tour,’ said Rumana — one of the two players from the country to experience a two-week stint with the Women’s Big Bash League in Australia  — ahead of their overseas campaign.

The series marks the start of a busy period for them as they have the Asia Cup T20 in Malaysia in June, a 10-day tour of Ireland, and the Women’s World T20 Qualifier in the Netherlands, where they will aim to seal their place for the main event in the Caribbean in November.

Notably the Tigresses have played no international cricket for over a year now, since a spirited show that saw them make it to the Super Sixes stage of the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier 2017 in Colombo last February and will need to shake off rust.

‘It’s not that we were sitting idle for the last 14 months,’ she said before leaving the country for South Africa. ‘We had camps and practice matches so I hope we will be able to perform better compared to the past.’ They also played limited-overs series against India ‘A’.

The experienced Salma Khatun, who was reinstated as T20 captain, added, ‘We might have taken a step back, given that we have not played any international cricket in the last 14 months, but we were in touch with the game, practising and playing domestic matches. We will improve the more we play.’

For the next nine months, Bangladesh will have among their support staff Devieka Palshikaar, the former India leg-spinner and assistant coach, and Anuja Dalvi, a physiotherapist who was closely associated with the Indian team. They will be working with David Capel, the former England all-rounder, who is the team’s head coach.

‘We are getting better facilities now,’ said Rumana. ‘Both our coaches (head coach and assistant) are from abroad. Devieka worked with us in Sylhet for around 15 days and has shown us the technical aspects. So, we are looking forward to better days.’

Bangladesh have recorded two wins against South Africa in 12 previous ODI encounters, while in five T20s Bangladesh secured only one win.  

Bangladesh squad: Rumana Ahmed (ODI captain), Salma Khatun (T20I skipper), Nigar Sultana, Fargana Hoque, Khadija-tul Kubra, Panna Ghosh, Fahima Khatun, Jannatul Ferdous, Sharmin Sultana, Nahida Akter, Suraiya Azmin, Sanjida Islam, Sharmeen Sultana, Sobhana Mostari, Murshida Khatun and Jahanara Alam.

South Africa ODI squad: Dané van Niekerk (captain), Lizelle Lee, Chloe Tryon, Mignon du Preez, Trisha Chetty, Marizanne Kapp, Shabnim Ismail, Ayabonga Khaka, Masabata Klaas, Raisibe Ntozakhe, Suné Luus, Laura Wolvaardt, Andrie Steyn and Zintle Mali.

South Africa T20 squad: Dané van Niekerk (captain), Lizelle Lee, Chloe Tryon, Mignon du Preez, Marizanne Kapp, Shabnim Ismail, Ayabonga Khaka, Masabata Klaas, Raisibe Ntozakhe, Suné Luus, Laura Wolvaardt, Zintle Mali, Stacey Lackay, and Tazmin Brits.

Bangladesh women’s cricket team SA tour fixture

May 2:  Warm Up Match TBC vs Bangladesh XI Witrand Oval, Potchefstroom  

May 4: 1st ODI, South Africa vs Bangladesh, Senwes Park, Potchefstroom            

May 6:  2nd ODI, South Africa vs Bangladesh, Senwes Park, Potchefstroom

May 9: 3rd ODI, South Africa vs Bangladesh, Diamond Oval, Kimberley           

May 11: 4th ODI, South Africa vs Bangladesh, Diamond Oval, Kimberley           

May 14: 5th ODI, South Africa vs Bangladesh, Mangaung Oval, Bloemfontein

Feb 17: 1st T20I, South Africa vs Bangladesh, Diamond Oval, Kimberley      

May-18: 2nd T20I, South Africa vs Bangladesh, Mangaung Oval, Bloemfontein

May 20: 3rd T20I, South Africa vs Bangladesh, Mangaung Oval, Bloemfontein          

May 21: Bangladesh Women’s Team depart South Africa for home