Pakistan Announces Squad for ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025, Fatima Sana to Lead Team
Pakistan’s women’s national cricket team has announced its 15-member squad for the upcoming ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025, with Fatima Sana appointed as captain for the tournament for the first time. The squad will also compete in a three-match ODI series against South Africa ahead of the World Cup.
Rising right-handed batter Eyman Fatima, who made her T20 International debut against Ireland, has earned her first ODI call-up. Fatima Sana, who also played in the previous World Cup, guided Pakistan to victory as captain at the ICC Women’s CWC Qualifier earlier this year, achieving an unbeaten record to secure their spot in this year’s tournament.
The World Cup will be jointly held in India and Sri Lanka, with all of Pakistan’s group-stage matches scheduled at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Colombo. If Pakistan progresses to the semifinals and finals, both matches will also take place in Colombo.
Six players—Natalia Parvaiz, Rameen Shamim, Sadaf Shamas, Sadia Iqbal, Shawaal Zulfiqar, and Syeda Aroob Shah—are set to make their debut appearances in an ODI World Cup. Of these, Aroob Shah, Shawaal Zulfiqar, and Eyman Fatima previously represented Pakistan in the inaugural ICC Women’s U19 T20 World Cup in 2023.
The squad sees two changes from the group that played in the ICC Women’s CWC Qualifier, with Eyman Fatima and Sadaf Shamas replacing Gull Feroza and Najiha Alvi. The duo, along with Tuba Hassan, Umm-e-Hani, and Waheeda Akhtar, have been named as reserves. All selected players and reserves will attend a 14-day training camp under head coach Muhammad Wasim to prepare for the upcoming South Africa ODI series.
South Africa’s women’s cricket team is scheduled to arrive in Lahore for the ODI series, which will serve as essential preparation before the World Cup.
Full 15-member squad: Fatima Sana (captain), Muneeba Ali Siddiqui (vice-captain), Aliya Riaz, Diana Baig, Eyman Fatima, Nashra Sundhu, Natalia Parvaiz, Omaima Sohail, Rameen Shamim, Sadaf Shamas, Sadia Iqbal, Shawaal Zulfiqar, Sidra Amin, Sidra Nawaz (wicket-keeper), and Syeda Aroob Shah.
Non-traveling reserves include Gull Feroza, Najiha Alvi, Tuba Hassan, Umm-e-Hani, and Waheeda Akhtar. The support staff is headed by Muhammad Wasim, with Hina Munawar as manager and other specialists overseeing bowling, fielding, media, performance, and medical needs.
Pakistan’s World Cup group-stage fixtures in Colombo include matches against Bangladesh, India, Australia, England, New Zealand, South Africa, and Sri Lanka. The team’s performance in these key matches will determine their progress to the knockout stages.
