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"Big Honour": Pakistan’s No. 1 Spinner Sadia Iqbal Vows To Outshine In Women's World Cup

Akshita Patel

Sadia Iqbal in good spirits ahead of Women's World Cup [Source: @ICC/X.com]Sadia Iqbal in good spirits ahead of Women's World Cup [Source: @ICC/X.com]

Pakistan’s star spinner Sadia Iqbal is all set to lead her team’s bowling attack into the Women’s World Cup 2025 with confidence and fire. After helping Pakistan sail through the Qualifier, Iqbal believes the team is fully prepared for the mega tournament.

Iqbal played a key role in Pakistan’s successful Qualifier campaign, taking 9 wickets and becoming the team’s third-highest wicket-taker, only behind captain Fatima Sana (12 wickets) and Nashra Sandhu (10 wickets). 

Her performances didn’t stop there. In May, she reclaimed the No.1 spot in the ICC Women’s T20I Bowling Rankings.

Sadia Iqbal Confident Of Pakistan’s Dream Run In World Cup

Speaking in an interview with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Sadia Iqbal said the team knows the 2025 World Cup will be a tough challenge, but they are ready for it. 

“We had a good Qualifier campaign, the preparation was very good for it. We know that the competition is going to be tough at the World Cup, with all the big teams featuring in the tournament. We are preparing and keeping that in mind with practice matches, variation, etc," Iqbal said.

Talking about the big achievement of ranking No.1 T20I bowler, Iqbal said it's a huge honour for her. She also shared that she enjoys the pressure of being one of the team’s most trusted players.

“It's a big honour for me to become the No.1 ranked bowler in the world while playing for Pakistan. It's always my desire to help lift the team to new heights with my performances. I relish the added responsibility of the team relying more on me. It's challenging but I try and enjoy it," she added.

That being said, Pakistan’s first match of the World Cup will be against Bangladesh on October 2 in Colombo.

Pakistan Will Not Travel To India; To Play At Neutral Venue

In a major development, Pakistan Women’s team will not travel to India for the 2025 ICC Women’s ODI World Cup. Instead, they will participate under a hybrid model, playing all matches at a neutral venue (Colombo). The tournament is scheduled from September 29 to October 26, 2025, with India as the official host. 

Earlier PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi stated the decision mirrors the earlier agreement with the BCCI and ICC. The move follows diplomatic tensions, echoing the same arrangement made for the Champions Trophy, where India did not play in Pakistan either.