April 18, 2025: Pakistan’s women’s cricket team has qualified for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025, following an emphatic 87-run win over Thailand in the ongoing Cricket World Cup 2025 Qualifier. With the victory, Pakistan has extended their unbeaten streak in the tournament, and captain Fatima Sana is determined to finish the qualifiers on a high note.
Fatima Sana Reflects on Team’s Success
After the match, Fatima Sana expressed pride in her team’s performance and leadership, acknowledging their resilience throughout the tournament. “We have qualified, and the main credit goes to our team — they supported me a lot and gave me the opportunity to captain this side. Hopefully, we will try to win the final match as well and aim to remain unbeaten throughout the qualifiers, finishing at the top of the table,” she said.
Pakistan had a challenging start to their innings, but a patient knock from Sidra Amin and crucial contributions from Sana helped the team to post a competitive total of 205/6.
Sidra Amin’s Stability and Sana’s Vital Contribution
Speaking about Sidra Amin’s innings, Sana emphasized how important it was for the team. “Before the 40th over, we were under a lot of pressure because the Thailand team bowled really well against our batting lineup. But after the 40th over, we started to see opportunities. I got a few chances to contribute with the bat, and Sidra Amin played really well during that phase,” she explained.
Sana also praised Amin for holding the innings together when it was most needed, saying, “The main thing is that she stayed at the crease and kept the innings going. I know people might have thought the run rate was a bit slow, but she played sensibly when we were just trying to survive.”
Fatima Sana Leads from the Front with the Ball
In the second innings, Sana took charge with the ball, along with Nashra Sandhu and Rameen Shamim. The trio each took three wickets, making light work of Thailand’s batting lineup and ensuring Pakistan’s victory. Their bowling performance sealed Pakistan’s qualification for the World Cup 2025, bringing an end to Thailand’s chances in the qualifier.
Perfect Record in the Qualifiers
With this win, Pakistan now has four victories in as many matches, keeping their record perfect in the qualifiers. The team will play their final match of the tournament against Bangladesh on April 19, with both sides aiming for the top spot in the group.
Bangladesh, led by Nigar Sultana Joty, will also be looking to qualify for the prestigious event in India, adding more excitement to what promises to be a thrilling encounter. With qualification already in hand, Pakistan will be focused on maintaining their unbeaten streak and finishing the tournament in style.