Pakistan's hopes for direct qualification to the 2025 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup are on the line as they prepare for their ODI series against England.
Pakistan are currently placed 5th with 16 points in 21 games in the ICC Women’s Championship, where the top five teams along with the hosts India will directly qualify for the Women’s World Cup.
The bottom four teams in the standings will have to go through the Qualifier route to book their berth for the showpiece 50-over event next year.
West Indies (at 7th with 14 points) and Sri Lanka (8th with 14 points) have games in hand and can surpass Pakistan should the results go their way.
England, on the other hand, are on the verge of securing qualification, comfortably positioned in third place with 19 points from 15 matches.
Pakistan will be looking to bounce back in the ODI series after succumbing to a 3-0 clean sweep at the hands of the hosts in the T20I leg of the tour.
Sidra Ameen, the leading run-getter in the current cycle of the Women’s Championship with 948 runs in 21 matches, was confident in the team’s ability to turn things around in the ODI series.
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“Despite the recent T20I series not going our way, we are fully focused and eager to put on a good performance in the upcoming ODIs against England,” Sidra Ameen said.
“We believe in our capabilities and are focused on executing our plans well in the upcoming ODI series. The team spirit is high, and we are determined to end the ICC Women's Championship matches on a positive note.”
SQUADS:
PAKISTAN: Nida Dar (Captain), Aliya Riaz, Ayesha Zafar, Diana Baig, Fatima Sana, Gull Feroza, Muneeba Ali (wk), Najiha Alvi (wk), Nashra Sundhu, Natalia Parvaiz, Rameen Shamim, Sadaf Shamas, Sadia Iqbal, Sidra Amin, Tuba Hassan, Umm-e-Hani and Waheeda Akhtar.
ENGLAND: Heather Knight (Captain), Alice Capsey, Amy Jones, Charlie Dean, Danielle Wyatt, Kate Cross, Lauren Bell, Lauren Filer, Maia Bouchier, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Sarah Glenn, Sophie Ecclestone and Tammy Beaumont.
SCHEDULE:
23 May – 1st ODI, Derby
26 May – 2nd ODI, Taunton
29 May – 3rd ODI, Chelmsford