Pakistan batsman Omaima Sohail on Friday expressed optimism about the team’s chances of reaching the semi-finals of the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025.
The Green Shirts have played four matches during the ongoing tournament, losing three in a row and having their fourth match abandoned due to rain.
Pakistan began their Women’s World Cup campaign with a seven-wicket loss to Bangladesh.
The national team was beaten by arch-rivals India by 88 runs in the second match, while Australia triumphed over them by 107 runs in the third.
Pakistan’s match against England was abandoned, leaving them with a single point and placed at the bottom of the standings.
The Green Shirts now need to win all three remaining matches against New Zealand, South Africa and Sri Lanka respectively, besides hoping for certain results to go in their favor to achieve a miraculous entry into the semi-finals.
Ahead of their must-win match against former champions New Zealand, Omaima said they were chasing the chance to qualify for the semi-finals by winning their remaining matches.
Speaking at the pre-match press conference at the R Premadasa Stadium, the opener maintained that the team was ‘not relaxed’ and would want to win all their remaining matches.
“We are not relaxed at all. We have a chance to go [to the] semi-finals if we win the games, like three games,” Omaima said.
“So maybe the scenario is open, so maybe we win the three games so we have a chance in the semi-finals.”
Omaima, who scored an unbeaten 19 off as many deliveries during the chase against England, stressed the need for batsmen to step up ahead of the crucial game as she said she was working on playing the new ball.
“I think the main challenge is to open — play the new ball. If you watched the matches, they are nails and the pitch is [helping] seam. I’m trying to play the new ball and working on it,” she said.
