In a dramatic turn of events at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium, the West Indies cricket team saw their hopes of qualifying for the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 shattered by a margin as minuscule as 0.01 on the net run-rate scale. Despite securing a high-octane win against ThailandHayley Matthews’ side was left devastated as Bangladesh edged ahead on net run-rate (NRR) to clinch the final qualifying spot.

West Indies and Bangladesh both finished with six points, but Bangladesh‘s NRR of 0.639 narrowly eclipsed West Indies’ 0.626, marking the end of a 25-year streak during which West Indies had participated in every World Cup since 2000.

West Indies’ blistering chase against Thailand couldn’t outpace the clock

Set a daunting task of chasing down 167 runs in just 10 overs to leapfrog Bangladesh’s net run-rate, West Indies responded with firepower and intent.

Captain Matthews led from the front with a sensational innings, smashing 70 off just 29 deliveries. She brought up her half-century in only 21 balls, becoming the second-fastest to reach the milestone in women’s ODI history. With support from Qiana Joseph (26 off 12) and Chinelle Henry (a whirlwind 20-run burst), West Indies roared to 156 for 3 in 10 overs, the highest-ever 10-over score in the format’s history. Despite needing only 11 more runs from that point to qualify, the finishing touch came just a few balls too late. A six from Stafanie Taylor eventually sealed a six-wicket win, but the West Indies had fallen agonizingly short of the qualification target by the slimmest margin imaginable.

As the 11th over began, West Indies needed not just victory, but an accelerated finish to surpass Bangladesh’s superior net run-rate. A single from the first delivery added to the tension, but then disaster struck again Henry was run out, leaving the equation even more complicated. Aaliyah Alleyne, undeterred, hit a boundary off her very first ball and took a single next, nudging West Indies to 162 after 10.4 overs.

With the run-rate equations tightening, a four off the next ball would have leveled the scores and left the team needing a six off the last delivery to finish on 172, just enough to eclipse Bangladesh’s NRR. But fate had one last twist. Staping Taylorfacing the penultimate ball, struck a mighty six that ended the match on 168, enough for a win, but heartbreakingly short of the qualification threshold.

The final moments of the match were filled with emotion. Taylor’s immediate reaction a frustrated punch to her bat after hitting the winning six encapsulated the anguish of an entire team.

As the players embraced each other on the field, tears flowed freely, marking the end of an era for a proud cricketing nation.

Strategic miscalculations came back to haunt West Indies despite a record push on their final day

While the focus remained on the net run-rate equation in the final match, the seeds of West Indies’ heartbreak were sown much earlier in the tournament. A surprise opening loss to Scotland and a heavy 65-run defeat to Pakistan significantly damaged their NRR and left little margin for error heading into the final fixture. Even in their last match, after having Thailand at 85/6 in the 27th over, West Indies failed to close out the innings swiftly. Thailand’s lower order, led by Natthakan Chandhamstitched together critical partnerships that pushed the total to 166, giving West Indies a much tougher chase than initially anticipated. A target closer to 120 might have significantly eased their qualification path. Afy Fletcher’s brilliant 4 for 20 performance in that match was rendered bittersweet in the face of this cruel outcome.

Bangladesh clinch historic back-to-back Women’s ODI World Cup appearances

Bangladesh, meanwhile, had done just enough earlier in the group stages to maintain an edge in the NRR race, even though they ended their campaign with a seven-wicket defeat to Pakistan. Ironically, Bangladesh had lost to West Indies during the qualifiers, yet emerged ahead due to the latter’s earlier inconsistencies. It was Pakistan’s rapid chase of Bangladesh’s target achieved inside 40 overs that left a window of opportunity open for West Indies. But in the end, the Caribbean side couldn’t squeeze through. For Bangladesh, it marked their second consecutive appearance in a Women’s ODI World Cup a remarkable achievement for a team still establishing itself at the highest level.

Pakistan, who had failed to qualify directly, stormed through the qualifier tournament in style, winning all five of their matches. They booked their spot in the eight-team main event alongside hosts Indiadefending champions Australia, England, New Zealand, South Africa and Sri Lanka all of whom had already sealed their spots based on the ICC rankings. With Bangladesh now confirmed as the final team to make it to the marquee event, the lineup for the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup is now complete. The tournament is set to begin on September 29 in India, where high-stakes battles and global rivalries will unfold over the course of a month.

This article was first published at WomenCricket.coma Tezzbuzz company.