Pakistan’s women’s cricket team secured a thrilling 38-run victory over Ireland in their opening One-Day International (ODI) of the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 Qualifiers on Wednesday, in a low-scoring encounter.
On a scorching day in Lahore, Pakistan’s Diana Baig and Nashra Sandhu were the stars with the ball, taking four and three wickets, respectively, to bowl Ireland out for 179 runs.
Diana, the standout performer, struck early, dismissing opener Sarah Forbes in her first spell. She returned later to clean up the tail, claiming the wickets of Christina Coulter Reilly, Louise Little, and Arlene Kelly. For her exceptional figures of 4-35 from 9 overs, Diana was named Player of the Match.
Reflecting on her performance, Diana said, “As a bowling unit, we have the confidence that if we stick to our plans and take the match deep, we can induce panic when the run-rate increases.”
She emphasized that the team remained focused, knowing this win was just the beginning and that they would not get complacent for the rest of the tournament.
Nashra Sandhu played a key role as well, dismissing Irish captain Gaby Lewis, Amy Hunter, and Laura Delany, preventing the Irish top-order from building any momentum after they had been 95-1 at one stage. Ireland’s innings ended with a run-out, as Pakistan’s captain Fatima Sana threw the ball to Nashra at the stumps, running out Cara Murray.
No Irish batter managed to score more than 50 runs, with both captain Lewis and Amy Hunter contributing 44 runs each.
Speaking after the match, Pakistan’s captain Fatima Sana expressed satisfaction with the team’s performance, saying, “Our whole team played good cricket. We wanted a strong start, and we got it.”
She added that the team initially aimed for a score of over 240, but after assessing the pitch, they realized their total was sufficient. “We wanted our senior players to step up, and we always wanted our pacers to step up, which Diana did,” Fatima noted.
Earlier, Pakistan’s batting had faltered despite a solid start. At one point, they were 153-3 but were eventually bowled out in the penultimate over for 217.
Aliya Riaz was the top scorer for Pakistan, making 52 runs off 58 balls, including four boundaries and a six. Sidra Amin also contributed with a solid 50 from 110 balls, striking three boundaries.
Ireland’s Jane Maguire was the standout bowler for her side, taking 3 wickets for just 33 runs in her 10-over spell. Her wickets included Feroza Gull, Muneeba Ali, and wicketkeeper Sidra Nawaz. Gull, making her ODI debut, had previously featured for Pakistan in T20 internationals.
With this win, Pakistan tops the table with a net run rate of 0.76 in the six-team tournament, which also includes Bangladesh, Ireland, Scotland, Thailand, and the West Indies. The event follows a round-robin format, with matches taking place at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium and LCCA Ground from April 9 to 19. The tournament will determine the two qualifiers for the 2025 Women’s World Cup, set to be held later this year in India.
Pakistan, who are hosting an ICC women’s event for the first time, look well-positioned to secure a spot in the top two, having won both their warm-up matches against Thailand and the West Indies. They will next face Scotland at the LCCA Ground on Friday.
The scorching temperatures in Lahore, reaching 39°C on Wednesday, present a challenge for all the teams competing in the tournament, potentially making it difficult for them to perform at their best in the heat.
This marks Pakistan’s fourth appearance in a World Cup qualifier, with the team having qualified for the main event on all previous occasions.
