Nigar and Sharmin named in ICC Qualifiers Best XI, Rabeya included as 12th player
Bangladesh also has one player in the squad as the 12th cricketer.
Nigar Sultana and Sharmin Akter have been recognized for their outstanding performances with the bat in the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifiers. Both have earned a spot in the tournament’s Best XI. Meanwhile, leg-spinner Rabeya Khan, who impressed with the ball, has been named as the 12th player.
The ICC announced the Best XI on Sunday, following the 10-day competition. Pakistan leads the team with four players, followed by the West Indies with three, and Scotland with two.
Pakistan secured their place in the main World Cup event by winning all their matches in the qualifiers. Bangladesh, who had the same number of points as West Indies, clinched the second qualification spot thanks to a superior net run rate.
The selected openers in the Best XI are Hayley Matthews from the West Indies and Muneeba Ali from Pakistan. Matthews, an all-rounder, scored 240 runs in five matches, including a century and a fifty, and took a tournament-high 13 wickets with her off-spin. She also took four catches.
Muneeba Ali scored 223 runs with two fifties, her highest being 71 against Scotland, and took two catches.
Sharmin Akter was picked as a top-order batter. She scored 266 runs with three fifties—the second-highest total in the tournament—and took one catch.
She played a vital knock of 94 not out against Ireland, helping Bangladesh set a record total. She followed up with scores of 57 against Scotland and 67 against the West Indies. Against Ireland and Pakistan, she contributed 24 runs in each match.
Scotland’s Kathryn Bryce topped the run charts with 293 runs, including a century and two fifties, and took 6 wickets with her pace bowling.
Wicketkeeper Nigar Sultana not only completed two catches and three stumpings but also finished as the third-highest run-scorer with 241 runs, including two fifties and a century.
Her standout performance came against Thailand, where she scored 101 and set a record for the fastest century by a Bangladeshi woman, reaching the mark in just 78 balls. She also made key contributions with 51* against Ireland and 83* against Scotland—wins that played a big role in Bangladesh qualifying. However, she could only score 5 and 1 in the two games Bangladesh lost, against the West Indies and Pakistan, respectively.
The team is captained by Pakistan’s Fatima Sana, who scored 107 runs and claimed 12 wickets with pace—the second-highest in the tournament.
The other two West Indies players in the XI are Chinelle Henry and Aaliyah Alleyne. Henry scored 171 runs, took one wicket, and made four catches. Alleyne, a pacer, picked up 12 wickets and added 63 runs with the bat.
Scotland’s Catherine Fraser, an off-spinning all-rounder, scored 77 runs and took 10 wickets.
Pakistan’s two other selections were left-arm spinners Nashra Sandhu (10 wickets) and Sadia Iqbal (9 wickets).
“Rabeya Khan, the 12th cricketer, took 6 wickets with her leg-spin, conceding just 3.72 runs per over. Her best figures came against Ireland, where she claimed 3 for 39.”
ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifiers Best XI
Hayley Matthews (West Indies), Muneeba Ali (Pakistan), Sharmin Akter (Bangladesh), Kathryn Bryce (Scotland), Nigar Sultana (Bangladesh, wicketkeeper), Fatima Sana (Pakistan, captain), Chinelle Henry (West Indies), Aaliyah Alleyne (West Indies), Catherine Fraser (Scotland), Nashra Sandhu (Pakistan), Sadia Iqbal (Pakistan).
12th Player
- Rabeya Khan (Bangladesh)
