Pakistan women’s cricket team has officially qualified for the Women’s Cricket World Cup, sealing their spot with a dominating 87-run win over Thailand in Lahore on Thursday.
The victory marked Pakistan’s fourth consecutive victory in the tournament, following earlier triumphs over Ireland, Scotland, and the West Indies.
The impressive run guarantees Pakistan one of the two remaining places in the eight-team World Cup, set to be held later this year. They now join hosts India, along with Australia, England, New Zealand, South Africa, and Sri Lanka in the main event.
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The final qualification spot remains up for grabs, with Bangladesh, the West Indies, and Scotland still in contention. Bangladesh, who have won three out of four matches, will face Pakistan on Saturday in a key fixture, while the West Indies take on Thailand. Scotland plays its final match against Ireland on Friday.
At the heart of Pakistan’s qualification campaign has been captain Fatima Sana, who has led by example with both bat and ball. She has taken 10 wickets across four matches—second only to West Indies' Hayley Matthews, who has 12. Against Thailand, Sana starred with a crucial half-century before returning to take 3-39 with the ball, capping off a standout all-round performance.
While the International Cricket Council (ICC) has yet to finalize the dates and venues for the World Cup, it has confirmed that matches between India and Pakistan will be played at neutral venues as these countries’ political tensions.