Pakistan gears up for ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 Qualifiers

Foreign teams are set to arrive in Lahore to feature in the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 Qualifiers which will begin at the Punjab capital from April 9.

According to a well-placed source, Thailand will be the first foreign nation which will land tonight while the rest of the teams including Bangladesh, the 2013 runners-up West Indies, Ireland and Scotland will touch down in Lahore on Friday (tomorrow).

Meanwhile Pakistan team, which underwent a ten-day camp at three different venues at Lahore before Eid, will re-assemble on Thursday (today).

Pakistan will also play a couple of warm-up games against Thailand and West Indies on April 4 and April 7.

In the other warm-up matches on April 5, Bangladesh faces Scotland while Ireland meet West Indies. Meanwhile, on April 7 Bangladesh meets Ireland and Scotland lock horns with Thailand.

The six-team event will last until April 19. The qualifiers will be held on round-robin format with the top two teams on the points table to join holders Australia, England, New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka and hosts India in the World Cup latter this year.

Bangladesh, West Indies, Pakistan and Ireland were the bottom four ranked sides from the ten-team 2022-2025 ICC Women’s Championship and that is why they have to make it to the main event in India.

Scotland and Thailand, who complete the six teams’ bracket in the qualifiers, earned their spots though being the next-best ranked teams in the ICC Women’s ODI team rankings.

Matches will be conducted at Gaddafi Stadium Lahore and LCCA Ground. This is the first time that LCCA will host international women cricket matches.

Pakistan will start their journey with an opener against Ireland on April 9 at the Gaddafi Stadium Lahore.

West Indies, who came through the Qualifier in 2022, will face Scotland on the same day at the LCCA.

Thailand will launch their campaign on April 10 against Bangladesh as Thais will try their best to make their maiden World Cup niche.

Bangladesh will look to qualify for a second time after making their World Cup debut in 2022.

The last game of the 15-match qualifiers will be held between Thailand and West Indies on April 19 at Gaddafi Stadium.

The ICC have also revealed the names of umpires and match referees for the qualifiers with Pakistani umpires Faisal Khan Afridi and Saleema Imtiaz also to deliver their services during the event.

In September 2024 Saleema made history by becoming the first Pakistani woman to join an ICC panel of umpires, being successfully nominated to the ICC International Panel of Development Umpires.

Zimbabwe’s Sarah Dambanevana is also on the panel. She became the first female Zimbabwean umpire to supervise matches in a Cricket World Cup final during the ICC Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup 2023 as well as the first female to officiate in a Zimbabwean domestic men’s fixture.

Bangladesh’s Masudur Rahman Mukul and Shatira Jakir Jesy, Babs Gcuma of South Africa, Candace la Borde of the West Indies, Dedunu de Silva of Sri Lanka, Donovan Koch of Australia, Masudur Rahman Mukul of Bangladesh, Shathira Jakir Jesy of Bangladesh and Shaun Haig of New Zealand are the other umpires to supervise matches.

Ali Naqvi, Shandre Fritz of South Africa and Trudy Anderson of New Zealand will act as match referees.

Squads:

Pakistan: Fatima Sana (captain), Najiha Alvi, Gull Feroza, Sidra Amin, Omaima Sohail, Aliya Riaz, Diana Baig, Sadia Iqbal, Nashra Sundhu, Muneeba Ali, Rameen Shamim, Shawaal Zulfiqar, Syeda Aroob Shah, Natalia Parvaiz, Sidra Nawaz

Bangladesh: Nigar Sultana Joty (captain), Nahida Akter, Ishma Tanjim, Dilara Akter, Sharmin Akter Supta, Sobhana Mostary, Shorna Akter, Jannatul Ferdus Sumona, Rabeya, Fahima Khatun, Fariha Islam Trisna, Farzana Haque, Shanjida Akther Maghla, Marufa Akter, Ritu Moni.

Ireland: Gaby Lewis (captain), Ava Canning, Christina Coulter Reilly, Alana Dalzell, Laura Delany, Sarah Forbes, Amy Hunter, Arlene Kelly, Louise Little, Sophie MacMahon, Jane Maguire, Kia McCartney, Cara Murray, Leah Paul, Orla Prendergast.

Scotland: Kathryn Bryce (c), Chloe Abel, Abbi Aitken-Drummond, Sarah Bryce, Darcey Carter, Priyanaz Chatterji, Katherine Fraser, Ailsa Lister, Abtaha Maqsood, Megan McColl, Hannah Rainey, Nayma Sheikh, Rachel Slater, Pippa Sproul, Ellen Watson.

Thailand: Naruemol Chaiwai (captain), Sunida Chaturongrattana, Nannapat Khoncharoenkai, Suleeporn Laomi, Suwanan Khiaoto, Onnicha Kamchomphu, Natthakan Chantham, Nannaphat Chaihan, Chanida Sutthiruang, Aphisara Suwanchonrathi, Nattaya Boochatham, Chayanisa Phengpaen, Phannita Maya, Rosenanee Kanoh, Thipatcha Putthawong.

West Indies: Hayley Matthews (captain), Shemaine Campbelle, Aaliyah Alleyne, Afy Fletcher, Cherry Ann Fraser, Shabika Gajnabi, Jannillea Glasgow, Chinelle Henry, Zaida James, Qiana Joseph, Mandy Mangru, Ashmini Munisar, Karishma Ramharack, Stafanie Taylor, Rashada Williams.