Sana Mir: ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier Poses Tough Challenge for Pakistan

New Delhi, April 4 (NationPress) Few individuals possess a deeper understanding of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier events than Sana Mir. The ex-captain of Pakistan asserts that the upcoming edition may prove to be the most challenging to date.

Sana was instrumental in guiding Pakistan through three qualifiers during her playing career, specifically in 2008, 2011, and 2017, where she captained the team in the latter two.

This year, Pakistan is the host nation, aiming to secure one of the final two spots available for the prestigious tournament in India later this year. Sana is eager to witness the unfolding of events in the weeks ahead.

"There's a significant level of enthusiasm, and everyone is anticipating it. This will be a tough competition. The West Indies have performed exceptionally well in recent years, particularly under Hayley Matthews. Meanwhile, Bangladesh has shown commendable form in ODIs, having defeated India and performed admirably against South Africa and Ireland," she remarked in an ICC release.

"For Pakistan, I see numerous changes. Fatima Sana has stepped up as a capable captain, showing great promise, but the competition will be fierce. Ireland has shown potential, managing to beat England last year. Scotland has also improved under Kathryn Bryce, gaining more international experience and league exposure.

"You can never overlook Thailand—their work ethic is commendable. With more opportunities afforded to associate nations, they could rise swiftly. All these factors suggest it will be a closely contested tournament. The West Indies might be favorites, but the rest are closely matched," she added.

Pakistan has been a consistent presence in the World Cup—both ODI and T20I—since 2009, when a team including Sana ended a lengthy 12-year absence from the competition. They achieved this by overcoming a rocky start against Ireland, a match they won despite suffering six run-outs, five of which were caused by Isobel Joyce.

"That opening match was incredibly tense and low-scoring, but we managed to secure the victory. That tournament remains a cherished memory for both myself and the team. I was honored as a joint player of the series, and we successfully qualified," she reminisced.

"Another memorable moment was during the 2011 Qualifier in Bangladesh. As captain, we managed to defeat South Africa for the first time in ODIs during that Qualifier. It was a roller-coaster experience, filled with tension, but it stands out as an extraordinary achievement.

"These Qualifiers drain the most energy from you; one misstep can impose pressure for the remainder of the tournament. It’s crucial for all teams to start off strong."

Pakistan’s squad for 2025 will be led by Fatima Sana as they strive to progress further. She leads a youthful team eager to emulate Sana and her past teammates, with the former captain hoping that the pressure will help them excel.

"I always believe that to set up young players for success, they must learn from seasoned players," she stated. "There’s Sidra Ameen at the top, Muneeba (Ali) brings valuable experience, Aliya (Riaz) is in the middle alongside Fatima Sana, and Diana (Baig) has returned to form with the ball.

"In ODI cricket, consistent batting is essential for any team to achieve stable results, and the youngsters must rise to the occasion. I hope they can deliver when it matters most," Sana concluded.