Pakistan Women Battle West Indies in ODI World Cup Qualifier Showdown

LAHORE, Pakistan — The Pakistan women’s cricket team won the toss and opted to bat first against the West Indies in their third One-Day International (ODI) match of the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 Qualifiers on Monday at Gaddafi Stadium. This marks the first day-night game of the tournament.

With a win today, the hosts aim to strengthen their bid for World Cup qualification after recently defeating Scotland by six wickets. Key performances in that match included Aliya Riaz’s unbeaten 68 runs and captain Fatima Sana’s four-wicket haul.

“We are confident heading into this game, having had good performances in the previous matches,” said Sana before the match. “Our focus is to build on this momentum and qualify for the World Cup.”

The West Indies, also vying for a strong showing, come off a nail-biting victory against Ireland where they won by just six runs. The pressure will be on both teams as they seek to secure crucial points in the round-robin format of this competitive six-team tournament.

Earlier in the week, the Pakistan team kicked off their campaign with a 38-run victory over Ireland, with Diana Baig claiming four wickets, supporting a solid bowling performance that restricted Ireland to 179 runs after Pakistan posted 217.

The ICC Women’s World Cup qualifiers involve six teams: Pakistan, Bangladesh, Ireland, Scotland, Thailand, and the West Indies. The tournament is held at the Gaddafi Stadium and the LCCA ground in Lahore, determining the two teams that will qualify for the Women’s World Cup scheduled later this year in India.

Notably, the tournament’s matches are being hosted in Pakistan after a “fusion” model was agreed upon following India’s refusal to play in Pakistan earlier in the year. This unique model aims to maintain a competitive spirit while ensuring safety and security.

The team lineup for Pakistan includes Gull Feroza, Muneeba Ali, Sidra Amin, Aliya Riaz, Omaima Sohail, Sidra Nawaz (wicket-keeper), Fatima Sana (captain), Rameen Shamim, Diana Baig, Sadia Iqbal, and Nashra Sandhu. In contrast, the West Indies squad features Hayley Matthews (captain), Zaida James, Shemaine Campbelle (wicket-keeper), Stafanie Taylor, Chinelle Henry, Shabika Gajnabi, Jannillea Glasgow, Aaliyah Alleyne, Afy Fletcher, Ashmini Munisar, and Karishma Ramharack.

As play continues, both teams will be pushing for victory to cement their chances for the World Cup. The atmosphere at Gaddafi Stadium promises to be electric, with passionate fans supporting their teams amid the ongoing excitement of the qualifiers.