In the 13th edition of the ICC Women’s World Cup held in India and Sri Lanka, Pakistan’s journey ended in the league stage. Under the leadership of fast bowler Fatima Sana, the team failed to win a single match in the tournament and finished last among the eight teams.

Earlier this year in April, the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier was held in Lahore, where Pakistan and Bangladesh qualified for the main event. In the single-league format tournament, the Pakistan women’s team remained unbeaten and secured the top position on the points table. Under the leadership of Fatima Sana, the Green Shirts defeated Ireland, Scotland, West Indies, Thailand, and Bangladesh.

The Pakistan women’s team made its debut in the ICC Women’s World Cup in 1997. However, after finishing in 11th place, the team failed to qualify for the 2000 and 2005 editions. Since 2009, though, this was the fifth consecutive time that Pakistan qualified for the ICC Women’s World Cup. In 2009, the Pakistan women’s team finished in fifth place which remains their best performance in the history of the Women’s World Cup.

In the recent ICC Women’s World Cup, Pakistan played all their matches in Colombo, Sri Lanka. On April 19, 2025, the national team had defeated Bangladesh by 7 wickets in the World Cup Qualifier in Lahore, but in the main event, they lost their opening match to Bangladesh by 7 wickets on October 2.

In the next game, traditional rivals India defeated Pakistan by 88 runs. Against Australia, despite taking 7 wickets for just 76 runs at one stage, Pakistan lost the match by 107 runs. The key difference was Australia’s left-handed batter Beth Mooney, who, batting at number four, scored 109 runs off 114 balls and helped Australia post a total of 221/9 in 50 overs. In reply, Pakistan were bowled out for 114 in 36.3 overs.

In the fourth match, played on a league basis, rain deprived Pakistan of a likely victory against England. Similarly, the match against New Zealand was also affected by rain, forcing Pakistan to settle for just one point.

Against South Africa, the Pakistan team looked fatigued, and in the 40-over-per-side match, the Proteas piled up a massive total of 312 for 9. Using the DLS method, South Africa claimed a 150-run victory in the rain-affected contest. The final league match against hosts Sri Lanka was also washed out due to rain.

Against South Africa, the Pakistan team appeared fatigued, and in the 40-over-a-side match, the Proteas piled up a mountain of runs, scoring 312 for 9. Using the DLS method, South Africa secured a 150-run victory in the rain-affected game. The final league match against hosts Sri Lanka was also washed out due to rain.

Pakistan’s women batters completely failed to deliver in the tournament. This can be gauged from the fact that, apart from the experienced Sidra Ameen, no other batter managed to score even 100 runs. Sidra scored 138 runs in 7 matches, facing 199 balls at an average of 27.60, including the team’s only half-century in the event.

In bowling, captain Fatima Sana led the charts with 10 wickets. However, in the spin department, Sadia Iqbal, Nashra Sandhu, and Ramin Shamim impressed everyone with their outstanding performances.

It would be incorrect to say that the Pakistan women’s cricket team lacks international exposure or facilities. At the board level, the women’s team has been fully supported, both in terms of opportunities and financial backing. However, the team particularly in the batting department needs to show significant improvement and consistency in performance.