ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 Qualifier: Six players to watch 

The teams are gearing up for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 Qualifier.

For some, the tournament marks the opportunity to return to the big stage while for others, it is a chance to make history and make a name for themselves.

Here are six players to look out for:

Bangladesh – Fargana Hoque

Fargana Hoque is Bangladesh’s first cap in both their T20I and ODI teams.

She is the anchor at the top of the Tigress’ batting, having first opened the batting in 2012, just under a year after her debut.

Even as her career has gone into its second decade, Fargana has continued to scale new heights, becoming the first Bangladeshi woman to score an ODI century when she made 107 against India in 2023.

The right-hander made her second century five months later and is still the only Tigress to have made tons in both ODIs and T20Is.

Now 32 years old, Fargana has been a part of the Bangladesh team for almost 14 years and is showing no signs of slowing down, having made three consecutive half-centuries at the end of 2024.

Ireland – Orla Prendergast

The wonderkid of Ireland cricket, Orla Prendergast hit her first ODI century and the second-highest score ever made by an Irish woman when she made 122 not out against Sri Lanka in August 2024.

She did so aged just 22 and masterminded Ireland’s highest run chase, as they knocked off 261 runs with four balls to spare.

Almost as impressive were her bowling figures, as she took three for 25, her best returns for Ireland.

She made her T20I debut aged only 17, with her maiden ODI appearance coming two years later.

Since then, she has scored 819 runs in ODIs, with a handy average of 30.33, while also taking 18 wickets as an important all-rounder.

Pakistan – Muneeba Ali

Muneeba Ali is made for the big stage.

The wicketkeeper and Pakistan vice-captain became the first woman from her nation to record a century at a World Cup when she hit 102 against Ireland at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2023 in South Africa.

The 27-year-old made her debut for Pakistan in 2016, with her ODI debut following two years later.

She now stands just 34 runs from passing 1,000 runs in her ODI career, having hit a high score of 107 in 2022, also against Ireland, one of Pakistan’s opponents in the Qualifier.

With the gloves, Muneeba has taken 14 dismissals in the one-day format with 10 catches and four stumpings.

Three of those catches came in one innings against West Indies, another one of the hosts’ opponents in this year’s tournament.

Scotland – Darcey Carter

Darcey Carter has contributed across all facets of the game for Scotland since making her debut in 2023.

The all-rounder was just 18 at the time of her international bow but was soon called on to open the batting in ODI cricket.

Her career across the 50-over format took time to kick into gear, but she garnered attention after making 86 in a losing cause against the Netherlands.

It is still the second-highest score ever made by a Scot in women’s ODIs, and she is third on the all-time runs list for her country.

With the ball, Carter has taken seven wickets with a best return of three for 20 against Papua New Guinea last August.

She has also been consistent in the field, taking four catches, the best numbers of the squad set to play in Pakistan.

Thailand – Nattaya Boochatham

Nattaya Boochatham has lived many lives during her cricket career.

The 38-year-old was Thailand’s leading run-scorer at the 2017 Women’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier, also taking the joint most wickets for her country.

She made her full international debut a year later and was 35 by the time she played her first ODI.

In T20Is, she became the first associate nation cricketer to claim 100 wickets, and for five years held the record for the most women’s T20I wickets in a calendar year with 40 in 2019.

The off-spinner also holds the record for the most wickets taken by LBW in women’s T20I cricket with 26.

In ODIs, she has taken 10 wickets from eight innings with a best return of three for seven against Zimbabwe in 2023.

West Indies – Chinelle Henry

Chinelle Henry has gone under the radar for a while but is starting to get attention.

The West Indies all-rounder made her ODI debut in 2014 but took time to earn a consistent place in the team.

Her lower-order power-hitting has become a useful skill for the Windies and was on full display when Henry was a late call-up to the Women’s Premier League.

She also produced handy bowling returns for the UP Warriorz that followed on from consistent performances for her international team.

Her most recent ODI hit out saw her hit a career-high 61 against India late in 2024, while she also took three wickets in an innings for the fourth time in her career earlier that year.