The Pakistan women’s cricket team is heading into the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 with confidence soaring and form on their side. An exceptional campaign in the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier 2025 saw them emerge unbeaten, securing their spot in the marquee tournament with dominant performances against both seasoned and emerging teams.
Ranked ninth in the ICC Women’s ODI standings, Pakistan outclassed all five of their opponents in the Qualifier – including impressive wins against higher-ranked sides West Indies and Bangladesh. Their clean sweep not only showcased their growing strength but also reinforced their readiness to take on the world’s best. Bangladesh, who finished second, also sealed qualification.
Their journey in the Qualifier began with a clinical 38-run victory over Ireland, followed by a tense 6-wicket chase against Scotland. They then made a statement by thumping West Indies by 65 runs, dominated Thailand in a one-sided contest by 87 runs, and sealed their ticket to the World Cup by convincingly defeating Bangladesh by 7 wickets.
As the squad sets its sights on the global stage, veteran all-rounder Aliya Riaz recently hosted a special episode of the PCB podcast, where she sat down with two key members of the side: senior batter Sidra Amin and rising talent Shawaal Zulfiqar. The trio reflected on their Qualifier triumph and laid out their vision for the challenges ahead.
Speaking on her aspirations and mindset ahead of the World Cup, Shawaal Zulfiqar expressed cautious optimism and acknowledged the scale of the task ahead. Shawaal shared, “Appearing in the World Cup is quite a challenge. Big teams appear in it. We’ve done camps, and we’ll continue doing them. So, we’ll grow and it will be beneficial to us. We are hopeful of doing well.”
Pakistan’s top run-scorer in the Qualifier, Sidra Amin, was another standout performer. Batting at No. 3 instead of her usual opening slot, Sidra adapted seamlessly, amassing 225 runs including three fifties. Her contributions were instrumental in Pakistan’s unbeaten run.
Reflecting on how she and the team plan to prepare for the marquee event, Sidra said, “We’ll plan it series by series. The bigger an event, greater the pressure, so we’ll work on things we can control.”
On how the team is focusing on fine-tuning their skills and strategy for conditions likely to be encountered at the World Cup, she elaborated, “We are practising well, we’ll bring an improvement on that. We have to adapt ourselves to the kind of wickets we have. We expect the games to be in Asian conditions, so we’ll have to plan our shots, rotation of strike accordingly.”
Sidra also took a moment to credit her support system for her recent consistency, highlighting how her coaches helped her focus on staying at the crease rather than chasing big shots.
She explained, “I always want to go for my shots, but my coaches and those who know my capability well stop me. They say that if I just stay at the crease, that would be good enough for the side. So, I credit my coaches and support staff for my success.”
Youngster Shawaal also spoke about the role of leadership in building the team’s confidence. Under the guidance of captain Fatima Sana, who took over the T20I reins before the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup and led the team in the Qualifier as well, Pakistan appears to have found a balanced, encouraging leader. Sana was Pakistan’s leading wicket taker of the tournament with her 12 wickets from 5 matches, and she added 103 runs from 4 innings.
Praising her captain’s influence, Shawaal said, “She supports us a lot. If you perform, she appreciates you. But even if you don’t, she’ll tell you that you’re a good player who will do well. She supports us on the field also. It feels very good, we try to listen to her and apply it to our game. Because she is in our age group, we easily understand her point.”
While the World Cup is set to be held in India from September 29 to October 26, Pakistan’s matches will be played at a neutral venue due to existing political sensitivities and bilateral agreements. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has confirmed that the women’s team will not be travelling to India for the tournament. Despite the logistical curveball, the squad remains unfazed and focused on the task at hand.
Pakistan now takes its place alongside hosts India, Australia, England, New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and fellow Qualifier Bangladesh in the list of eight contenders for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025. With their eyes on the prize and belief burning bright, Pakistan’s women are ready to write a new chapter on the global stage.
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