Pakistan Women booked their place in the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 with a dominant 87-run win over Thailand. The crucial match took place on Thursday during their fourth ICC Qualifier at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium.
Batting first, Pakistan faced early trouble after choosing to bat. Wickets fell quickly, and the scoring rate stayed low. At 85-4 in 32 overs, the situation looked grim for the home team. However, Sidra Amin and Fatima Sana built a game-changing 97-run partnership.
Sidra anchored the innings with a solid 80, while skipper Fatima remained unbeaten on 62. Their efforts lifted Pakistan to 205 in 50 overs. Although the total looked modest, it proved more than enough.
In reply, Thailand never gained momentum. Pakistan’s bowlers maintained pressure throughout, taking regular wickets and controlling the run flow. Eventually, Thailand fell well short of the target, handing Pakistan a convincing 87-run victory.
After the match, Fatima praised her team’s unity and hard work. “Our goal was the World Cup, and team support made it possible,” she said confidently. She also highlighted the importance of their month-long training camp in Faisalabad before the tournament.
Earlier, Thailand had shown potential in a high-scoring game against Ireland. Despite scoring well, they lost by 46 runs in that match. However, against Pakistan, their batting collapsed under pressure.
The ongoing qualifier includes six teams: Pakistan, Thailand, Ireland, Bangladesh, Scotland, and West Indies. The format follows a single round-robin, with matches played at Gaddafi Stadium and LCCA Ground in Lahore.
Importantly, only two teams will qualify for the 2025 Women’s World Cup in India. Though Pakistan have qualified, they won’t play in India. Due to political tensions, a neutral venue will host Pakistan’s matches under the ICC’s “hybrid” model.
