The race for qualification to the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 gathered pace on Friday as Pakistan Women and West Indies Women registered crucial victories in the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier, shaking up the points table.
Pakistan, led by Fatima Sana, delivered a composed performance to brush aside Scotland Women by six wickets in a rain-reduced 32-over contest in Lahore. The win not only strengthened their campaign but also lifted them to the top of the standings, ahead of their main competitors, West Indies and Bangladesh.
Bowling first, Pakistan executed their plans efficiently despite a fighting 91-run knock from Scotland captain Kathryn Bryce. Fatima Sana led from the front with figures of 4 for 23, while Sadia Iqbal chipped in with two wickets to restrict Scotland to 186 for 9 in their allotted overs.
Pakistan’s chase was anchored by opener Muneeba Ali, who struck a fluent 71 off 72 balls, while the experienced Aliya Riaz saw the side home with an unbeaten 68. The pair stitched together a match-defining 93-run partnership for the third wicket before Pakistan completed the chase in 30.4 overs with six wickets in hand.
The victory means Pakistan have now won both of their opening games, following their earlier triumph over Ireland, and are in pole position to qualify for the main event later this year.
Meanwhile, West Indies Women avoided another upset against Ireland to register their first points of the Qualifier. Following their opening loss to Scotland, Hayley Matthews’ team almost suffered a similar fate against Ireland but managed to squeak out a 6-run win to stay in contention for the two remaining slots for the World Cup.
Latest ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier Points Table:
| Position | Team | M | W | L | T | N/R | PT | NRR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pakistan Women | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0.594 |
| 2 | Bangladesh Women | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3.560 |
| 3 | Scotland Women | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.000 |
| 4 | West Indies Women | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | -0.060 |
| 5 | Ireland Women | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -0.530 |
| 6 | Thailand Women | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -3.560 |
The qualification scenario is steadily beginning to take shape, with Pakistan and Bangladesh looking solid candidates to progress. But with West Indies entering the mix and Scotland still in the hunt, we are set for a thrilling week of cricket ahead. As the Women’s World Cup Qualifier heats up, Pakistan’s well-rounded team has set the tone — but with every point critical in this tournament, the margins for error are getting slimmer by the day.
