Pakistan Women get reality check ahead of T20 World Cup with Irish tri-series shocker

Pakistan Women suffered a setback in their preparations for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 after failing to reach the final of the Ireland tri-series, with their match against West Indies’ Hayley Matthews in Dublin on June 3 ruined due to rain.

Pakistan started the series with a 25-run defeat of the Caribbean side. Ireland then bowled them out by seven wickets after being bowled out for 177 in 19.1 overs. Fatima Sana’s side will be looking to finish the series on a positive note when they take on Ireland on June 4.

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On Wednesday, Pakistan Women put on a competitive batting display before the rain played a role. Batting first at Castle Avenue, they reached 111 for seven in 16.5 overs in an innings repeatedly punctuated by wickets and sustained pressure from the West Indies attack.

The innings started with intent as Gull Feroza scored 10, hitting two boundaries before being dismissed early. Ayesha Zafar added 17 off 15 deliveries while Rameen Shamim contributed a steady 17 off 16 to help Pakistan recover from early setbacks.

Aliya Riaz anchored the middle order with a composed 24, holding the innings together through the middle overs and ensuring Pakistan maintained a competitive pace. Captain Fatima Sana remained unbeaten on 21, leading the side through the closing stages and rotating the batting effectively.

The West Indies bowlers kept Pakistan in check throughout, with Chinelle Henry and Ashmini Munisar taking two wickets each and striking at crucial moments to arrest the momentum.

Just when the match was set for an interesting chase, rain came and the contest was called off without a result, leaving the two teams to share the points and Pakistan missing out on qualifying for the final.

After a disappointing campaign in the Ireland tri-series, Pakistan Women will now turn their attention to fine-tuning their combinations ahead of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026. They will play two official warm-up matches in Derby, taking on Sri Lanka Women on June 6 and Scotland Women on June 9.

They begin their World Cup campaign on Sunday 14 June against arch-rivals India at Edgbaston, Birmingham. Placed in Group B, Pakistan will also face Netherlands, Bangladesh, South Africa and Australia in the group stage.

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Issued by:

sabyasachi chowdhury

Published on:

04 Jun 2026 01:09 IST