Pakistan’s Women’s cricket team is gearing up for the upcoming ODI World Cup Qualifiers in Lahore from April 9 to 19, with a significant boost coming from the return of 19-year-old batter Shawaal Zulfiqar. Zulfiqar, who had been sidelined since suffering a shoulder injury during Pakistan’s tour of New Zealand in December 2023, will rejoin her teammates after a long hiatus from competitive cricket.
A Promising Comeback
Despite limited experience at the international level—having featured in only one ODI and seven T20 internationals—Zulfiqar has already shown her potential. Her notable innings of 41 at the top of the order during the New Zealand tour was instrumental in securing Pakistan’s first T20I victory against the hosts. This performance has generated excitement about her ability to make a significant impact as she returns to the national squad.
Recent Activity and Preparation
The Pakistan Women’s team has been relatively inactive in international cricket; their last outing was a group-stage exit at the T20 World Cup in the UAE in October, and their previous ODI match was during the tour of England in May 2024. To regain match fitness and build momentum, the squad is currently immersed in a rigorous training camp. The players have been engaging in warm-up games and practice sessions as part of the camp’s second phase, which also served as the selection ground based on their fitness and current form.
Team captain Fatima Sana continues to lead the 15-player squad, which includes prominent names like vice-captain Muneeba Ali, Aliya Riaz, Diana Baig, and others. The PCB confirmed that the current squad was finalized after thorough evaluations during the ongoing preparation sessions.
Upcoming Fixtures and Tournament Structure
In the six-team ODI World Cup Qualifiers, Pakistan will face tough opponents including Ireland, Scotland, West Indies, Thailand, and Bangladesh. Their scheduled fixtures are as follows:
- April 9: vs Ireland
- April 11: vs Scotland
- April 14: vs West Indies
- April 17: vs Thailand
- April 19: vs Bangladesh
The top two teams from the qualifiers will secure their spots in the ODI World Cup, set to be hosted by India later this year. However, if Pakistan qualifies, they will play their matches on neutral grounds—either in the UAE or Sri Lanka—owing to an ICC agreement that mandates neutral venues for India and Pakistan until 2027, unless one of the two becomes the host.
Already confirmed for the tournament are powerhouses such as Australia, England, New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and hosts India.
Squad Composition
The final squad for the Women’s ODI World Cup Qualifiers is:
- Fatima Sana (captain)
- Muneeba Ali (vice-captain)
- Aliya Riaz
- Diana Baig
- Gull Feroza
- Najiha Alvi (wicket-keeper)
- Nashra Sandhu
- Natalia Parvaiz
- Omaima Sohail
- Rameen Shamim
- Sadia Labal
- Shawaal Zulfiqar
- Sidra Amin
- Sidra Nawaz (wicket-keeper)
- Syed Aroob Shah
Reserve players include Ghulam Fatima, Waheeda Akhtar, and Umm-e-Hani.
With the return of promising talent like Shawaal Zulfiqar and a focused preparation camp underway, the Pakistan Women’s squad looks determined to make a strong comeback. As the qualifiers approach, all eyes will be on the team’s ability to leverage their strengths and secure a place in the ODI World Cup.
