As a precursor to the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier 2025 which begins on April 9, the warm-up matches are underway providing teams with a valuable opportunity to acclimatize to the local conditions. In the 4th warm-up match, Gaby Lewis led Ireland faced off against Naruemol Chaiwai led Thailand where the former defeated the latter by three wickets at the Lahore City Cricket Association Ground.
This match marked the second outing for both teams in the warm-up fixtures, with Ireland having previously lost to West Indies by five wickets and Thailand suffering a seven-wicket defeat at the hands of Pakistan.
Ireland’s decision to field first after winning the toss proved astute, as they restricted Thailand to 227/8 in the first innings. Kia McCartney and Alana Dalzell each claimed two wickets for Ireland.
For Thailand, Natthakan Chantham top-scored with a fluent 48 off 57 balls, laced with six boundaries. She stitched together two vital partnerships – a 45-run stand with Nannapat Koncharoenkai, who contributed a steady 36 off 63 balls, followed by a 42-run partnership with skipper Naruemol Chaiwai, who made an impactful 45 off 53 deliveries.
Late in the innings, Chaninda Sutiruang’s quick 38 off 41 balls featuring three fours and two sixes, helped Thailand post a competitive total of 227.
In a convincing display, Ireland successfully chased down the target in just 38 overs, losing seven wickets in the process. Sarah Forbes provided a solid start with 31 off 29 balls, featuring six fours.
However, Ireland lost two wickets in quick succession, courtesy of Phanita Maya (5-0-40-2), Laura Delany carried the innings forward with a 75-run knock off 71 balls marked by 9 fours. Louis Little played a crucial role scoring 69 off 61 balls with eight fours and a six.
Despite Nattaya Boochatham’s (7-0-30-3) three wicket haul, Thailand couldn’t halt Ireland’s progress, ultimately succumbing to a three-wicket loss.
With their warm-up matches behind them, Ireland now faces the hosts Pakistan in the opening match of the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier on April 9, while Thailand takes on Bangladesh in Match 3 on April 10.
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