Pakistan striker Omaima Sohail on Friday expressed optimism over her team’s chances of reaching the semi-finals of the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025.
The Greenshirts have played four matches in the ongoing tournament, losing three in a row and seeing their fourth match abandoned due to rain.
Pakistan began their Women’s World Cup campaign with a seven-wicket defeat against Bangladesh.
The national team was defeated 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 just one point and placing them at the bottom of the table.
The Green Shirts will now need to win their remaining three matches against New Zealand, South Africa and Sri Lanka, respectively, besides hoping that some results go in their favor to secure a miraculous entry into the semi-finals.
Ahead of their must-win match against former champions New Zealand, Omaima said they were chasing a 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 opening batter claimed the team was “not relaxed” and would like to win all the remaining matches.
“We are not relaxed at all. We have a chance to go [to the] semi-finals if we win the matches, like three matches,” Omaima said.
“So maybe the scenario is open, so maybe we will win all three matches, so we will have a chance in the semi-final.”
Omaima, who scored an unbeaten 19 off as many deliveries in the run chase against England, stressed the need for batters to step up their efforts ahead of the crucial match, while sharing that she was working on bowling the new ball.
“I think the main challenge is to open up — to play the new ball. If you have seen the matches, they are sewn up and the pitch is [helping] sewing. I’m trying to play with the new ball and working on it,” she said.
