New Delhi [India] April 25 : Pakistan's Women's team advanced to the global mega-event, alongside second-placed Bangladesh, after an impressive performance in the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2025, as per the ICC official website.
The tournament hosts (ranked ninth in ODI team rankings) achieved victories in all five of their matches, including against better-ranked teams such as West Indies (sixth) and Bangladesh (eighth).
Pakistan batter Shawaal Zulfiqar acknowledged the challenges of the World Cup, with the presence of strong teams, but expressed confidence in her team's growth through training camps. She emphasised the team's hope for success in the tournament.
"Appearing in the World Cup is quite a challenge. Big teams appear in it. We've hosted camps, and we'll continue to do so. So we'll grow, and it will be beneficial to us. We are hopeful of doing well." Shawaal Zulfiqar said as quoted by the ICC.
Senior Pakistan batter Sidra Amin, who was Pakistan's highest run-getter in the Qualifier with 225 runs, including three fifties, also stressed the importance of preparation and adaptability.
"We'll plan it series by series. The bigger an event, the greater the pressure, so we'll focus on things we can control. We are practising well, and we'll bring an improvement in that area. 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 and the rotation of strikes accordingly." Sidra Amin said.
Sidra's success was notable, as she came in at No. 3 instead of her usual opening position, and she credited her coaches for her recent form.
"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," she added.
Pakistan join hosts India, Australia, Bangladesh, England, New Zealand, South Africa and Sri Lanka at the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup slated to be held in October and November later this year.