Schutt, Beams in Stars squad

The Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars have put to bed any fears they will be taking world number eight Pakistan lightly, naming a full-strength squad for the August-September series in Brisbane.

Kicking off on August 21 at Redlands Cricket Inc, east of Brisbane, the series will comprise four One-Day Internationals and four Twenty20s, with the ODIs counting towards the newly-implemented ICC Women's Championship.

An extended recovery from a back stress fracture means Holly Ferling will miss out, opening the door for South Australia quick Megan Schutt, who has been plying her trade in England over the winter, to cement her place in national colours.

While Victorian leg-spinner Kristen Beams will get her first taste of top-tier ODI cricket after representing the Commonwealth Bank Shooting Stars last summer and topping the Women’s National Cricket League wicket-takers table in 2013-14.

“It's exciting for Australian cricket to have a leg-spinner included in the squad,” Women’s National Selection Panel Chair Julie Savage said.

“Kristen Beams performed extremely well at domestic level last season and thoroughly deserves this opportunity.”

The series will be the first time the two countries have met outside of ICC Women’s World Cup play since 1997, when Australia won by a commanding 374 runs in Pakistan’s third-ever ODI.

More recently, the Southern Stars eased past their subcontinental rivals to the tune of 94 runs in the group stage of this year’s ICC Women’s World Twenty20 in Bangladesh.

Despite the lopsided history, Ellyse Perry insists the home side won’t be underestimating their less-fancied opposition.

“I think whenever you play an international game of cricket it’s always very competitive,” the number two-ranked women’s ODI allrounder told cricket.com.au.

“They’ve probably got a slightly different team and a slightly different skill-set than what we’re traditionally used to playing against.

“I guess their focus is on the skills-based side of the game, so whilst athletically speaking they might not be as imposing as other teams, they’ve certainly got some wonderful skills.

“I think that will really test us, particularly when it’s coming on the back of our off-season.”

This series holds even more weight considering it will be the first under the new Women's Championship umbrella.

The new system will see all eight full-member sides play against each other once in a series of at least three ODIs between August 2014 and November 2016.

The top-six ranked sides at the end of this period automatically qualify for the 2017 ICC Women’s World Cup while the bottom two sides will need to earn their places through a qualifier tournament against the top-ranked associate nations.

“It’s definitely exciting,” speedster Rene Farrell said.

“I think women’s cricket has come a long way and this is a fantastic initiative to get the rankings correct and not just base it on the last World Cup.

“We haven’t played Pakistan much at all except in World Cups, so it will be great to get that experience against a team like that.

“I think it’s fantastic playing different teams.”

Watch every ball of the Southern Stars’ summer LIVE and FREE on cricket.com.au, starting August 21.