“We’ve Learned a Lot,” Sadia Iqbal Ahead of Pakistan’s Final World Cup Clash Against Sri Lanka
Pakistan’s campaign in the 13th edition of the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, comes to a close on October 24, in Colombo, as Fatima Sana’s side faces Chamari Athapaththu-led Sri Lanka from 3 PM IST. For Pakistan, the tournament has been a tough journey marred by rain-affected matches and heavy defeats, but left-arm spinner Sadia Iqbal believes there are valuable lessons to take home.
“We’ve Learned a Lot,” Sadia Iqbal Ahead of Pakistan’s Final World Cup Clash Against Sri Lanka
“Yeah, it is pretty difficult, because some of our matches have also been washed out due to rain. So, it’s a bit different for us, but we will give our best in the upcoming game,” Sadia said in the pre-match press conference on the eve of the team’s final fixture.
Pakistan, placed at the bottom of the standings with just two points from six games, remains the only winless side of the competition. Their campaign began with a seven-wicket loss to Bangladesh on October 2, followed by defeats against India by 88 runs and Australia by 107 runs. Washouts against England and New Zealand offered a brief reprieve, but the heavy 150-run defeat to South Africa in a rain-curtailed encounter on October 21 sealed their fate.
For the 30-year-old Sadia Iqbal, who has claimed eight wickets in five innings at an average of 22.37 and an economy of 4.47, there’s been pride in the bowling unit’s effort despite the team’s struggles. “Yes, definitely, like before coming here, we had a really good preparation, like for the spinners, and we are communicating with each other. And Fatima (Sana) and Diana (Baig) are a really nice combination with the new ball,” she explained.
“It was really turning out well; we were really able to witness some good bowling partnerships, which was nice to see. Then, just as we spinners came into the contest, we were trying to back them up with our spells.”
Her skipper, Fatima Sana, has led from the front, topping Pakistan’s wicket charts with 10 scalps at 21.30 apiece and an economy rate of 5.07, including a four-wicket haul, while the pace unit of Fatima and Diana has shown flashes of promise. The challenge against hosts Sri Lanka now stands as a test of resilience and pride more than qualification.
Despite being based in Colombo throughout the tournament, often playing and training under fluctuating weather, Sadia spoke about the team’s determination to stay united. “Yeah, it is not that difficult, because even in Pakistan it’s the same that we stay at the same place and play at the same place, so all those things happen similarly. The only thing important is, we must play our brand of cricket and enjoy the game.”
Reflecting on the broader lessons from Pakistan’s campaign, Sadia was candid about the team’s shortcomings and optimism for the future. “Yes, definitely, we’ve learnt a lot of things, because it was quite a big World Cup event, unfortunately, we couldn’t win, and we didn’t play some good cricket. But we’ve learnt a lot from this and we’ll be working on those things,” she noted.
The Muhamadabad-born spinner also emphasised the evolution of Pakistan’s young side, several of whom were part of the qualifiers earlier in the year. “Definitely, like in the qualifiers, we were playing really well as a team unit. But we couldn’t play like that in a World Cup. Still, we’ve learnt a lot from this experience and will be working on those things going back home.”
Sadia highlighted the importance of game time against stronger opposition in developing emerging sides. “Like, we’ve a lot of youngsters with us and we had a very young team this time, so we’ve learnt a lot because the World Cup was a very big event for us. Youngsters have also learnt a lot of things from this World Cup and will try to increase the level of our game.”
In acknowledging the rapid growth of the women’s game, she added, “Yeah, definitely, the way cricket is growing so rapidly, especially women’s cricket, has sped up. There has been a lot of improvement in the game. So, we would also try to match the level of cricket that’s being played and meet those requirements.”
Pakistan’s final league game carries little in terms of points-table consequence but much in symbolic value, a chance to end a challenging campaign on a high. As Sri Lanka enters the contest buoyed by their thrilling seven-run win over Bangladesh, Pakistan’s bowlers, spearheaded by Fatima Sana and Sadia Iqbal, will look to restore pride and finish strong in Colombo.
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