Cricket World Cup | Pakistan

Bangladesh kicked off their 2025 Women’s Cricket World Cup campaign in style, cantering past Pakistan’s modest 129 with seven wickets and 18.5 overs to spare in Colombo on Thursday. Debuting opener Rubya Haider announced herself with an unbeaten half-century, steering the chase with the composure of a seasoned pro as Bangladesh barely broke sweat in pursuit of the below-par target. But it was their bowlers who set the tone. Lone seamer Marufa Akter struck with a double blow in her very first over — two wickets in successive balls — before a spin web tightened the screws on a hesitant Pakistan line-up. “We are thrilled to get a win under our belt in our first outing,” said Marufa. “There was a lot of support from my teammates. Special credit to our team analyst who fed me with some valuable input leading into the game. “We showed lot of energy on the field and we take lot of positives from this game.” With a rich spin arsenal at their disposal, Bangladesh never let Pakistan off the hook. Left-arm spinner Nahid...

The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Monday announced a staggering increase in the prize money for the tournament set to be staged in India and Sri Lanka. The 13th edition of the women’s showpiece 50-over tournament will begin on Sept 30. Pakistan is set to play its matches in Sri Lanka following India’s refusal to travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy earlier this year, which resulted in a “hybrid model” being decided upon. The overall prize money at the eight-team marquee tournament totals $13.88 million — a monumental rise of 297 per cent from $3.5m at the last edition held in New Zealand in 2022, ICC said in a statement. The total prize pot eclipses that at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup from two years ago in India, which had total prize money of $10 million. “The announcement aligns with ICC’s strategy to amplify the growth of women’s cricket and a decision to introduce pay parity was announced ahead of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024,” ICC said. The winners of the 13th edition of the Wom...