In a heartfelt moment during the Pakistan vs England Women’s World Cup 2025 match at the R. Premadasa Stadium on Wednesday, both teams observed a moment of silence to honor the late father of Pakistan all-rounder Shawaal Zulfiqar. Her father, Zulfiqar Ahmad, passed away in Sialkot on Tuesday.
Before the start of the 16th match of the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025, players from both sides gathered in the middle to pay their respects. The gesture reflected the strong sense of unity and empathy that transcends competition in international cricket.
Pakistan won the toss and chose to field first, making two changes to their lineup. Aliya Riaz and Omaima Sohail replaced Sadaf Shamas and Eyman Fatima. On the other hand, England Women introduced Sarah Glenn and Emily Arlott in place of Sophie Ecclestone and Lauren Bell, who missed the match due to illness.
England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt said her team had to make adjustments because of sickness in the camp but looked forward to giving opportunities to other players.
“It’s not ideal, but it gives Sarah and Em a great chance to get some overs and make an impact,” she said.
Pakistan captain Fatima Sana mentioned that the pitch looked favorable for spin and stressed the need for her team to improve their batting consistency and partnerships.
“We need to bat longer and finish the innings better when we have the opposition under pressure,” she said.
England entered the match unbeaten with three straight wins, while Pakistan Women’s cricket team continued their search for their first victory of the tournament.
Playing XIs:
Pakistan: Muneeba Ali, Omaima Sohail, Sidra Ameen, Aliya Riaz, Natalia Pervaiz, Fatima Sana (c), Sidra Nawaz (wk), Rameen Shamim, Diana Baig, Nashra Sandhu, Sadia Iqbal
England: Amy Jones (wk), Tammy Beaumont, Heather Knight, Nat Sciver-Brunt (c), Sophia Dunkley, Emma Lamb, Alice Capsey, Charlie Dean, Linsey Smith, Emily Arlott, Sarah Glenn
Both teams’ gesture toward Shawaal Zulfiqar was widely appreciated by fans and the cricket community online, highlighting the compassion and respect shared within the sport.
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