May 26, 2025
The Spanish Women’s national team are currently on Italian soil preparing for what is their biggest challenge ever in the international arena.
Competing against five other teams the ladies will be making their ICC Regional debutwhen they participate in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Europe Division Two qualifier.
The squad is a blend of youth and experience with Elspeth Fowler of LaManga/Torrevieja once again assuming the role of captaincy. Another ECCL player Payal Chilongia of Madrid Cricket Club will also be crucial to the team’s success.
She has experience of playing in Rome, having been part of the European squad for the Meltl Shield, that played at the Italian ground last year.
Another member of victorious European team in that competition was Hampshire based Naomi Hillman-Bermejo who will be a key factor for the Spanish side.
Her Hursley Park team mate Andrea Davidson-Soler and other players from the UK, Alexis Hartley and Amelia Brown are likely to be the first three players in the batting order. The final UK based player, Amy Brown Carrera is touted to be the main strike bowler for “La Seleccion”
The remaining squad members are Barcelona based, although Uswa Syed has been playing in England for a club based in Luton in the early part of the season.
Samia Basharat, Memoona Queresh Muhammad, Muskan Ullah Aktar and Rabia Mushtaq have all been attending a weekly High Performance Camp in preparation for Italy and Mardiya Mohammed Mohammed is the only debutant in the squad, getting an opportunity after impressing in the Women’s No Boundaries League.
The final member of the playing squad in Rome is Aliza Saleem Arra. She comes in for Tasbiha Mirza who unfortunately required surgery a short while ago and is still recuperating.
The management staff remains the same with the familiar faces of Molly Sellars and Cath Moretti in the coaching roles, and Marisol Carrera taking care of team management duties.
Spain hit the ground running with two matches on day one of the event on Sunday 25thMay. They play Sweden in the morning game and then have a contest against Germany in the afternoon.
The following day the Spaniards have a morning game against Jersey and then the afternoon off. A rest day follows and then Thursday afternoon (29thMay) the team lock horns with the Isle of Man.
Spain’s finish in the single round robin format with a match up against the hosts Italy on the morning of Friday 30th. The top two teams advance to the European Group One qualifier in Holland later in the year in a four team competition that will also include Ireland.
The whole event is being live streamed free in Spain and throughout the world on ICCTV
