In full flow: Sidra, who has been a consistent performer, provides stability and loads of runs at the top.
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Pakistan’s journey to the 2025 ICC Women’s ODI World Cup was turbulent, marked by inconsistency and leadership changes. The team struggled in the 2022/23–2025 ICC Women’s Championship, winning only eight of 24 matches and finishing ninth, making qualification through rankings out of the equation.
A dominant performance in the Qualifier saw Pakistan win all five matches and confidently storm back into the World Cup again. Fatima Sana’s leadership was central to this revival as she guided a side in transition.
The team’s World Cup campaign, however, will rely on contributions from its mainstays. Sidra Amin, in fine form, has been Pakistan’s most consistent batter, providing stability at one down. Muneeba Ali will be expected to ensure solid starts, while Aliya Riaz and Fatima are entrusted with anchoring the middle order and getting competitive totals on the board.
The skipper will also shoulder the responsibility of leading the pace attack alongside Diana Baig, aiming to strike early and set the tone. Spin will remain Pakistan’s strength, led by left-arm orthodox spinner Nashra Sandhu and Sadia Iqbal, while Rameen Shamim will support with off-spin.
Sidra Amin, the No. 3 batter and a pillar of the Pakistan side, has been in excellent form leading up to the World Cup. Third in the country’s all-time ODI run list, she provides consistency and stability, often coming up with match-defining contributions
What will benefit Pakistan greatly is playing all seven of its group-stage matches in Colombo, allowing the team to benefit from the familiarity of pitch, bounce and boundary, and accustom itself to the subcontinental conditions. Pakistan enters the tournament with a blend of youth and expertise, though gaps remain in the lower order and fielding. In fact, the team’s catching success is a dismal 68.5 per cent since April 2022 — joint second-lowest among the eight World Cup competitors — which could be the deciding factor in high-stakes games.
As the youngest ODI World Cup captain in Pakistan’s history, Fatima carries the responsibility of translating potential into results, while Pakistan aims to assert itself on the global stage.
The squad: Fatima Sana (Capt.), Muneeba Ali (Vice-capt.), Aliya Riaz, Diana Baig, Eyman Fatima, Nashra Sandhu, Natalia Parvaiz, Omaima Sohail, Rameen Shamim, Sadaf Shamas, Sadia Iqbal, Shawaal Zulfiqar, Sidra Amin, Sidra Nawaz, and Syeda Aroob Shah.
Pakistan’s fixtures: Oct. 2: vs Bangladesh; Oct. 5: India; Oct. 8: Australia; Oct. 15: England; Oct. 18: New Zealand; Oct. 21: South Africa; Oct. 24: Sri Lanka. The team will play all its matches in Colombo.
Published – September 22, 2025 11:41 pm IST
