Fatima Sana was announced as the captain of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Women’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2025 Team of the Tournament by the sport’s global governing body on Sunday.
The team, which features players from four countries, has the Pakistani captain at the helm after she led her unbeaten side to win the tournament and booked a spot in the World Cup being held later this year.
“Fatima was Pakistan’s talisman during the tournament, chipping in with crucial late-order runs, and bringing crucial breakthroughs with her fast bowling,” the ICC said.
She ended the tournament with 103 runs and 12 crucial wickets for the hosts.
The team also features Pakistan’s southpaw opener Muneeba Ali and the left-arm spin duo of Nashra Sandhu and Sadia Iqbal.
The side also has players from Bangladesh, the West Indies and Scotland.
Team of the Tournament:
1. Hayley Matthews (West Indies)
“The West Indies captain Hayley Matthews was at her exemplary best during the tournament, showing grit and determination for her side,” the statement said.
She put in a brilliant all-round effort with 240 runs in the tournament with a high score of 114 not out, and chipped in with 13 wickets for her side as well.
This was exemplified best during her unbeaten 114 against Scotland, wherein she battled the heat to stay on the pitch.
“What makes Matthews’ run even more special is that she rolled her arm over with even more aplomb than her exceptional batting efforts,” the ICC said.
Matthews also smashed a 29-ball 70 laced with 11 fours and a couple of sixes in their final encounter against Thailand.
She picked 13 wickets at an average of under 16 to end as the tournament’s highest wicket-taker.
2. Muneeba Ali (Pakistan)
“Matthews’ opening partner is the reliable Muneeba Ali. She was instrumental to Pakistan’s strong starts throughout the tournament and helped set the foundation for the side,” the press release added.
She scored 223 runs for her side and her best came in a key rain-affected encounter against Scotland. She hit 71 at nearly run-a-ball to guide Pakistan safely to a target of 187, holding the side together after the loss of a couple of early wickets in a tense chase.
She also scored 69 to set up the chase for Pakistan in their final match against Bangladesh and was adjudicated the player of the match for her efforts with the bat and a brilliant catch in the field.
3. Sharmin Akhter (Bangladesh)
Sharmin Akhter was “Bangladesh’s wall during the tournament, holding on her end in each game”.
She scored 266 runs and was the second-highest run-getter in the Qualifier, Akhter scored three fifties, including a brilliant 94 not out against Thailand and a key 57 against Scotland.
4. Kathryn Bryce (Scotland)
The player of the tournament Kathryn Bryce hit 293 runs and took six wickets for her side, ending as the highest run-getter in the qualifier.
“Her finest came during Scotland’s final encounter against Ireland,” the ICC said. She got her side out of troubled waters at 19/3 and then with a career-best 131 not out that helped them to a competitive target.
She then returned with the ball when Ireland looked like they were on their way to chase down the score. She picked up three crucial wickets to nearly get her side over the line.
5. Nigar Sultana (Bangladesh) (wicket-keeper)
“With scores of 101, 51 and 83 not out to set up Bangladesh’s three wins during their successful qualifier campaign, Nigar Sultana Joty bats at number five in this XI,” the statement said.
Joty also contributed with her safe hands behind the stumps, accounting for five dismissals, and also led from the front in the field as the captain.
6. Fatima Sana (Pakistan) (captain)
Fatima’s best bowling performance came while she was battling an injury, getting four wickets while giving up just 23 runs in a bowling performance that derailed Scotland’s innings in a rain-curtailed encounter.
She also starred with the bat for her side, scoring a match-winning 62 not out against Thailand after the Green Team were 85-4 after 32 overs at one stage in the crucial encounter.
7. Chinelle Henry (West Indies)
“No numbers can do justice to the kind of impact Chinelle Henry had during the tournament,” according to the ICC.
She started the tournament with a cameo of 12 off three against Scotland, which featured two sixes, but went on to play critical knocks like 51 not out off 48 balls against Bangladesh in a low-scoring thriller. She signed off with a 48 off 17 against Thailand, hitting five sixes during her knock.
8. Aaliyah Alleyne (West Indies)
The 30-year-old Aaliyah Alleyne had a wicket in each game and delivered a career-best 4-39 in the all-important clash against Bangladesh. Alleyne also chipped in with several cameos lower down the order.
9. Katherine Fraser (Scotland)
Scoring a crucial 25 not out lower down the order, Fraser supplemented her side with the ball, dismissing the West Indies 9, 10, and 11 for ducks as Scotland pushed in for a win. In the end, despite Hayley Matthews’ valiance, Scotland crossed the line by 11 runs.
10. Nashra Sandhu (Pakistan)
Picking up 10 wickets for Pakistan, Nashra was one of the bowling stars during Pakistan’s successful campaign. Bowling with guile and control, Sandhu picked 10 wickets at an average of 15.60 with her left-arm spin.
She managed to get big wickets in the middle overs to put the Women in Green ahead, as shown during their encounter against West Indies, wherein she dismissed the dangerous Chinelle and Jannillea Glasgow.
11. Sadia Iqbal (Pakistan)
Nashra’s spin senior Sadia Iqbal was the other big performer for Pakistan, picking her nine scalps for an average of 16.
Sadia’s economy, like Sandhu, was under four, and this meant that the duo provided the hosts the stranglehold during the middle overs and helped them maintain an unbeaten run throughout the tournament.