Pakistan entered the semi-finals of the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifiers after beating the Netherlands by 193 runs in the uarterfinals at Narayanganj Osmani Stadium, Fatullah Dhaka, on Tuesday. With this victory Pakistan women’s team qualified for the ICC Women’s World Cup 2013 scheduled to be played in India and for ICC T20 Championship to be played in 2012 in Sri Lanka. Apart from Pakistan, Sri Lanka has also joined South Africa and the West Indies to play in the big event. Pakistan women’s team won the toss and batted first. Pakistan Women’s 277-4 in 50 overs, Javeria Khan 67, Bismah Maroof 66 not out, Nida Dar 57 and Sana Mir 49. E Lanser took two wickets. Netherland in response were 84 all out in 37 overs. Bismah Maroof and Nida Dar took three wickets each. Bisah was named Player of the match.
On this marvelous achievement Chairman PCB Ch. Zaka Ashraf and the Chairperson Women Wing PCB Mrs. Bushra Aitzaz have congratulated the team and have praised their performance whole heartedly. In 2008, Pakistan team participated in the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifiers which were held in South Africa and after the event the team qualified for World Cup which was held in Australia in 2009. Therein the team played exceptionally well and made its presence felt and proceeded to the super sixes stage. In this event the team improved their ranking from no. 10th to no. 6th in the world.
After the ICC Women World Cup, 2009 and the (2) ICC World T20s, the ICC decided that instead of six teams, only the top four teams will qualify for the next World Cup to be held in India in 2013. The ICC introduced another ranking tournament i.e. (ICC Women’s Cricket Challenge) in 2010 wherein Pakistan also participated but unfortunately the team’s ranking deteriorated from no. 6th to no. 8th in the world. The ICC Women World Cup Qualifiers being held in Bangladesh were crucial for the future of women cricket in Pakistan as in this tournament the fate of the team had to be decided.
All the teams ranked between 5th to 10th are participating in this event including the Asian Cricket Council teams which have done well in the past in ACC tournaments. Although West Indies and Sri Lanka are the participants of the tournament but they have already qualified for the ICC World T20, 2012 to be held in Sri Lanka because West Indies topped the ICC Women’s Cricket Challenge tournament and Sri Lanka got the automatic qualification as of the hosting right of the ICC World T20, 2012.
Well Done Pakistan Team
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