Snehal, Sana, and Maroof Highlight the Big Importance of Women’s World Cup 2025 Qualifiers

Former international cricketers Snehal Pradhan, Sana Mir, and Bismah Maroof believe that the forthcoming ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 Qualifier is set to be a defining moment in the growth of women’s cricket, commencing in Pakistan on April 09 (Wednesday). 

As the main competition is tentatively scheduled to take place in India during the September-October window this year, this qualification process will be crucial as six teams compete to finish in the top two slots to join the eight-team tournament. 

Snehal Pradhan Speaks About the Importance of Qualifiers

Snehal Pradhan— the former Indian cricketer and current ICC manager of women’s cricket highlighted the importance of the qualifier tournaments. 

‘No Teams Can Be Taken Lightly’: Ex-Indian Batter’s Opinion  

Snehal spotlighted the shifting realities of women’s cricket and the increased competitiveness of the qualifiers: 

“Yes! The stakes for the event are very high. Considering the previous Cricket World Cup in New Zealand, it was a successful and high-profile event. This is a chance for two out of these six teams to compete and grab the crucial spots. 

So, it is a spectacular tournament with big outcomes on the line and valuable opportunities for teams to showcase their mettle. Out of six participating teams, four of them are full members, and we’ve got two associate members. Overall, this forms a highly competitive group, making the tournament thrilling and unpredictable. 

But, it’s very tough to predict which two teams will qualify for the main tournament. Previously, we witnessed Thailand advancing into the T20 World Cup 2020 and have shown their potential to compete on a global stage. Likewise, Scotland qualified for the T20 World Cup 2024, and are expected to perform well again. So, none of the teams can be taken for granted,” the 39-year-old said. 

‘Increased Opportunities for Teams’: Snehal’s Vision 

Furthermore, Snehal highlighted the growing opportunities for teams due to their better performance through the ICC Women’s Championships: 

“Yeah! We have worked on a couple of decisions in the past few years, which have shaped the current status of women’s cricket. One of these is the expansion of the ICC Women’s Championship upto 10 teams and granting the ODI status to five Associate Member nations at the beginning of this ODI cycle. This formed a bigger pool of 16 eligible teams to participate in the eight-team event. 

The volume of matches included in the calendar was due to the organized structure of the Women’s Championship. This resulted in teams getting more chances to compete and improve, thereby elevating cricket standards. 

It is an encouraging strategy, as the value of decision and investment in women’s cricket is paying off. Also, the ICC announced its first-ever commercial partnership focusing completely on women’s cricket events, with Unilever arriving on board and commencing their association at the Women’s World Cup 2025. 

Suppose, if we get to watch till the last round of matches, with teams closely competing to secure the spot, it would be the greatest indication of success,” Pradhan commented. 

This growth indicates T20I and ODIs expansions, with the next World Cup expected to be played between 10 teams. 

Sana Mir Welcomes ICC’s Approach 

Former Pakistan captain Sana Mir welcomed the initiative taken by the ICC and highlighted it as a significant step to expand and develop the women’s championship: 

“See! One of the best things about the ICC Women’s Championship is the expansion upto 10 teams, which I have greatly benefited from in my career. Moreover, I feel that this plays a major role for teams like Bangladesh and Ireland, as they have now been a part of this qualification process,” Mir said. 

This extensive qualification strategy benefits teams like the West Indies, Bangladesh, and Ireland with a fair chance to improve their skills, gain experience, and qualify for the main event. 

Furthermore, the cricketer-turned Pakistani commentator emphasized the competitive nature of the recent editions of the World Cup, where several matches kept fans glued to the edge of their seats with tight contests in the last few overs: 

“Yes! It is an exciting moment in women’s cricket. And, if we continue doing things right, there will be more than four or five teams that spectators would wish to watch competing against each other. In the previous edition of the World Cup, many matches went down to the last few overs, and that is what you expect as an audience. This is exactly what women’s cricket is fulfilling,” Sana concluded. 

‘Scotland and Thailand will Benefit’: Bismah Maroof’s Thoughts 

Bismah Maroof— the former Pakistani cricketer, who was chosen as the successor of Sana Mir as the national team’s captain, quoted a similar kind of sentiment by adding a few more facts: 

“Certainly! Women’s cricket has evolved greatly in the last few years. Ahead of the Women’s World Cup, this qualifier round will be a turning point for rising associate member nations like Scotland and Thailand, who have been performing well. They have come a long way. And this is the moment to challenge top competitive teams and prove their worth globally. Also, Ireland as a full member nation deserves praise for becoming stronger,” Maroof said. 

Final Thoughts 

The quality of women’s cricket has advanced over the years, with New Zealand and South Africa having competed against each other in last year’s ICC Women’s T20 World Cup final. 

Not to forget the stellar performances of Nigeria and the USA in the Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup this year. Especially, Nigeria’s triumph over New Zealand by 2 runs throws light on their growing prominence in key ICC events. 

Six teams are set to participate in the Women’s WC 2025 Qualifier. It includes four full member nations —Pakistan (Hosting nation), Bangladesh, the West Indies, Ireland, and two associate member nations — Scotland and Thailand.  

The event will be played in a round-robin format where each team will face off against others just once. Ultimately, the two highest-ranked teams at the end of the group stages qualify for the elite tournament.