Pakistan’s perfect start builds confidence ahead of West Indies clash

LAHORE: With two solid victories under their belt, the Pakistan women’s cricket team has made an ideal start to their ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 Qualifier campaign.

As the tournament progresses into its decisive stages, the hosts are riding a wave of momentum and growing self-belief — something skipper Fatima Sana hopes will power her side through their remaining fixtures, starting with a key encounter against the West Indies on Monday.

Playing on home soil at Lahore’s LCCA Ground, Pakistan first overcame Ireland with a 38-run win in the tournament opener and followed it up with a composed six-wicket triumph over previously unbeaten Scotland on Friday.

The unbeaten run has now placed Pakistan atop the qualification table, with the top two teams earning direct spots in the Women’s World Cup set to be held later this year in India.

After two back to back wins over Ireland and Scotland, Fatima Sana emphasized the need to maintain composure in high-pressure scenarios.

“We’ll try to be calm and easy in batting partnerships because in situations like these, teams tend to buckle down under pressure. We’re learning to cope better and will keep working on it — especially with the intensity of future games expected to rise,” the young captain said.

While Sana’s leadership and bowling have stood out, what has truly buoyed Pakistan’s campaign is the team’s collective performance.

Against Ireland, it was Diana Baig, Nashra Sandhu, Sidra Amin, and Aliya Riaz who delivered with bat and ball. In the second match, Muneeba Ali played a stroke-filled 71, while Riaz anchored the innings with an unbeaten 68.

Sana herself, despite carrying a niggle, stepped up with a decisive four-wicket haul in the final overs against Scotland, showing both grit and skill.

“It was a tough situation due to injury, but I performed well. The team gets confidence from this kind of performance, and I do too.

So I’m hopeful for more good things to come,” she reflected after her match-winning spell.

The six-team qualifier — which features Pakistan, West Indies, Bangladesh, Ireland, Thailand, and Scotland — is being contested in Lahore from April 9 to 19.

Only two teams will earn passage to the marquee ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025, to be held in October and November in India.

For now, Pakistan are in pole position, but with tougher matches on the horizon, including the one against West Indies on April 14, consistency will be key.

“This is a good thing for the team — when you win, confidence builds. With big matches coming, we’ll try even harder,” said a determined Fatima.

“As the home side prepares to take on the Caribbean challenge, the focus will be on holding nerve under pressure, maintaining balance between attack and defense, and continuing the cohesive team efforts that have thus far defined their campaign.

“With growing support from home fans and two commanding wins behind them, Pakistan’s women now carry the hopes of sealing a historic qualification on their own turf,” she concluded.