Pakistan and West Indies face off with important ICC Women’s Championship points up for grabs

Nida Dar-led Pakistan are placed fifth on the IWC points table with 16 points from 18 games, whereas West Indies, captained by Hayley Matthews, are placed ninth with 8 points from 9 games.

Pakistan's recent outing in the championship was an exciting three-game contest in New Zealand. After losing the first ODI by 131 runs in Queenstown, they stretched the Kiwis to the finish line only to lose the second ODI by one wicket. The third ODI was yet another thriller, which Pakistan managed to win in the Super Over to register their first-ever victory over the White Ferns in Women's ODIs.

The West Indies last featured in the championship during their tour of Australia. While they showed sensational form in the T20I series which Australia eventually took 2-1, the Windies weren't able to carry it into the ODIs and lost the three-game series 2-0.

Despite the series loss, Aaliyah Alleyne, who was the second-highest run-getter in the series with 67 runs, emerged as a major bright spot for the West Indies.

IWC Points Table

With eight points separating them on the table, both sides will have plenty at stake in the upcoming series to be played in Karachi from 18-23 April. The top five sides along with hosts India earn a direct qualification for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025.

Historically, the Women in Maroon have a significant advantage over Pakistan in the ODI format, with 24 wins and 10 losses in their 34 previous meetings.

Pakistan skipper Nida was confident of her side’s chances, expressing the belief that their intense preparation leading up to the series would pay off.

"We have worked really hard for the upcoming series, knowing the significance it holds for our journey for direct qualification to the ICC Women's World Cup," Dar said. "The training camp before the series was intense, and our coaches left no stone unturned in refining our skills and strengthening our fitness levels.

“West Indies may have a good track record against us in ODIs, but we have been playing some excellent cricket lately, and we are eager to continue that trend in the upcoming series. Our goal is to build on our recent successes and deliver strong performances against a tough opponent.”

Her opposite number Matthews acknowledged Pakistan’s prowess at home but remained confident that her team was well-prepared for the upcoming series.

“Pakistan are a dangerous opponent, especially on their home turf," noted Hayley Matthews. "They have a talented squad capable of turning the game around at any moment. We are up for the challenge, and we are determined to execute our game plan to come out on top.

“The one-week training camp in Dubai provided us with the perfect platform to refine our skills ahead of the all-important ICC Women’s Championship matches against Pakistan. As we have arrived in Karachi and had a good couple of sessions, our focus now shifts to adapting to the local conditions to do well in the series.”

**Pakistan ODI squad **

Nida Dar (c), Aliya Riaz, Bismah Maroof, Diana Baig, Fatima Sana, Muneeba Ali, Najiha Alvi (wk), Nashra Sundhu, Natalia Parvaiz, Sadaf Shamas, Sadia Iqbal, Sidra Amin, Sidra Nawaz (wk), Tuba Hassan, Umm-e-Hani and Waheeda Akhtar

West Indies ODI squad

Hayley Matthews (c), Shemaine Campbelle (vc), Aaliyah Alleyne, Afy Fletcher, Chedean Nation, Cherry Ann Fraser, Chinelle Henry, Jannillea Glasgow, Karishma Ramharack, Kate Wilmott, Qiana Joseph, Rashada Williams, Shamilia Connell, Stafanie Taylor and Zaida James

ODI series schedule:

First ODI, 18 April, 09:30 am local time
Second ODI, 21 April, 09:30 am local time
Third ODI, 23 April, 15:30 pm local time

The ODIs will be followed by a five-game T20I series from 26 April - 3 May, also to be played in Karachi.