In a stunning display of determination and talent, Scotland’s women’s cricket team walked away from the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier with heads held high—but their international calendar tells a grimly different story. Despite finishing fourth out of six teams, toppling West Indies, and taking powerhouses Pakistan and Bangladesh to the brink, Scotland currently have no international fixtures lined up for the rest of 2025.
This silence from the top tiers of global cricket has not gone unnoticed. Annette Aitken-Drummond, a Scotland international, took to X (formerly Twitter) to voice her concern, quoting a sobering statement, “Scotland currently has no fixtures scheduled for the remainder of 2025.”
She added, “I like this from Cricket Scotland. It’s bold. Basically, calling out @ICC for what they are – custodians of the game for the few, not the many. These players need to play, or else, what’s the point?!”
Such words reflect the discontent simmering below the surface. Scotland proved at the Qualifier that they belong on the world stage, playing exciting, high-quality cricket. They came within one wicket of defeat against Ireland, narrowly missing out on a place in the ICC Women’s World Cup.
Notably, they didn’t just compete—they conquered. The squad pulled off a historic win against full member West Indies and gave Bangladesh and Pakistan a serious scare. Their spirited campaign ended with a heartbreaking one-wicket loss to Ireland, sealing their fourth-place finish.
Amid this impressive run, individual brilliance shone through. Captain Kathryn Bryce was named Player of the Tournament, cementing her status as one of the world’s elites, she scored 293 runs and took 6 wickets. She was joined in the Team of the Tournament by rising star Katherine Fraser, who claimed 10 wickets and offered valuable runs down the order.
As the players now return to their clubs and counties for the domestic season, Head Coach Craig Wallace is urging the cricketing world not to let this moment slip away. He sees a team at the edge of a breakthrough—if only they’re given the chance to keep moving forward.
Introducing his first concern, Wallace highlighted the overall competitive standard in the tournament, “The standard across the Qualifier was really high, all the games were really competitive, and for us to be a part of that and contribute to that was hugely pleasing,” said Craig. “I think we played some really good cricket in an exciting and attacking style, and I’m just so proud of the whole squad.”
But beneath the pride lies frustration. There’s no roadmap ahead for the players to follow—no fixtures, no tours, no certainty. “Looking ahead, it’s actually quite challenging for us. It’s disappointing that we currently don’t have any fixtures in the diary as it stands. The squad has improved a lot over the last month, and everyone has been playing some exceptional cricket, which we want to keep continuing. However, at this stage, the next step is unknown.”
That lack of direction is more than just unfortunate—it’s detrimental. Without consistent international opportunities, even the most talented squads struggle to evolve. Wallace stressed how essential it is for Scotland to keep pace with their global counterparts.
“It’s really important that we receive more opportunities to play more international cricket as Scotland. It’s tough to not have any fixtures coming up in the near future, given how well we’ve just played and in competing with and beating some of the best nations in the world – especially given the lack of support that we do get.”
“We need to find a way organisationally, or more likely with external help, to get some fixtures, because other countries are going to keep improving so we need to do the same to stay with them.”
Behind the scenes, Cricket Scotland is working to solve the problem, but being an Associate nation comes with challenges that Full Members rarely encounter. “I know everyone at Cricket Scotland is working really hard behind the scenes to try and make things happen, but the budget pressures aligned with being an associate nation means it’s very challenging for us.”
With the Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifiers on the distant horizon, Wallace and his team must find ways to stay sharp—without the benefit of international match experience.
“Obviously we now have to look forward to the T20 World Cup Qualifiers and hopefully build towards that, but there’s going to be a lot of cricket between now and then. We will be supporting the players however we can during that period, even though we recognise that the resources available to us aren’t nearly enough to help us compete and succeed consistently on the international stage.”
Until the next opportunity comes, players will have to make their mark at domestic level—where they risk being forgotten by the wider cricketing world. “Hopefully all the players have a successful summer and do well with their clubs and counties and put in some match winning performances during that period.”
Scotland have done everything right—played fearless cricket, shocked the established order, and earned the right to dream. But dreams need matches to grow. The time to act is now.
The question hangs in the air: if this team isn’t given the platform it deserves—what’s the point?
Loves all things female cricket