Scotland’s Squad for 2025 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier Announced, Kathryn Bryce to Lead

Cricket Scotland has announced its 15-member squad for the upcoming ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier, set to take place in Lahore, Pakistan, from April 9 to 19. With the Women’s Cricket World Cup scheduled to be held in India later this year, six teams – Pakistan, Ireland, West Indies, Scotland, Thailand, and Bangladesh – will vie for the final two spots in the qualifier tournament.

Scotland is bidding to qualify for a second consecutive World Cup, building on their historic debut at the tournament. Their maiden appearance came after a remarkable qualifying campaign, where they secured a spot in the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup in the UAE, alongside Sri Lanka. Notably, Scotland booked their ticket to the T20 World Cup by defeating Ireland by eight wickets in the semi-final match.

Twelve members from Scotland’s historic T20 World Cup squad remain in the team for the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier, ensuring continuity and experience. The squad is once again led by Kathryn Bryce, whose leadership and all-round abilities have been instrumental in Scotland’s rise on the international stage. She is joined by her sister, Sarah Bryce, a reliable wicketkeeper-batter, who recently made her debut in the WPL 2025 and several other key players from their successful qualification campaign.

The batting lineup is further strengthened by Abbi Aitken-Drummond, a 33-year-old right-handed batter who brings reliability at the top of the order.

The squad’s depth is evident in its versatile all-rounders, including Chloe Abel, Darcey Carter, Katherine Fraser, Priyanaz Chatterji and Megan McColl, each contributing significantly with both bat and ball.

The bowling attack is spearheaded by Abtaha Maqsood, a 25-year-old leg-break bowler renowned for her economical spells, alongside Hannah Rainey, a right-arm medium bowler, and Rachel Slater, who adds further strength to the pace department.

Behind the stumps, Ailsa Lister, a 20-year-old wicketkeeper-batter, showcases promising talent and adds depth to the batting lineup.

The 12 returning players are joined by three new faces for the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier. Among the newcomers, Nayma Sheikh and Ellen Watson make their return to the national squad, while Pippa Sproul earns her maiden call-up after an impressive ICC Women’s Under-19 World Cup campaign, where she finished as Scotland’s leading run-scorer – 92 runs in 4 innings.

Scotland will be without Olivia Bell, who continues her recovery from a stress fracture in her back, and Saskia Horley, who is taking a break from international cricket.

Scotland’s coaching staff for the Qualifier will be led by Head Coach Craig Wallace, who will be supported by Joe Kinghorn-Gray and Nikki Little as assistant coaches, along with Amy Caswell serving as the team’s physio.

Speaking about the tournament, Wallace emphasized the importance of the experience gained over the past year, stating, “We’ve learnt a lot with the qualifying campaign for the last World Cup and then playing in that event, and we have that belief and knowledge that we can get through these qualifiers.”

Scotland’s squad will depart for Dubai on March 25 for a preparation camp, allowing them to fine-tune their skills before heading to Pakistan. Ahead of the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier, they will play two official warm-up matches, facing Bangladesh on April 5 and Thailand on April 7 before beginning their campaign against West Indies on April 9, as they aim to secure a spot in the Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025.

Scotland’s Squad for 2025 World Cup Qualifier –

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

Scotland’s Fixtures for 2025 World Cup Qualifier –

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