“We Can Be Really Proud of a lot of What We Done” – Sarah Bryce Reflects on Scotland’s Journey in the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup Qualifiers | Scotland’s wicketkeeper-batter Sarah Bryce reflected on her team’s journey at the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup Qualifiers in Lahore, calling it a tournament full of exciting performances, especially with the bat, as several players stood out. In an exclusive conversation with ICA Sports, Sarah spoke about the team’s performance, the defeat against Ireland, and her desire to play in the Women’s League in Pakistan whenever it is launched in the near future.
Scotland’s Campaign
“I think we can be really proud of a lot of what we’ve done. We came into this tournament as underdogs, ranked last. Obviously, we got off to a brilliant start, beating the West Indies. I think that was a really special game for us. Especially with the bat, it’s been really exciting seeing the performances we’ve put in from so many different players.”
Sarah acknowledged that a lack of experience in 50-over matches showed in patches.
“We’ve not played a lot of 50-over cricket, and that probably affected our consistency and execution over long periods. That might have cost us in a few games, but considering the limited experience, this has been an exciting starting block for us.”
Performance with the Bat and the Gloves
Sarah’s individual form was solid, contributing as both a batter and behind the stumps.
“I think I had a couple of decent performances, but I would have probably liked to have kicked on and made them bigger scores. You always want to score more, but when it contributes to the team, that’s what I aim for. I think I had a decent tournament with the gloves too, so I’m pretty pleased with that.”
Tough Loss Against Ireland
One of the standout moments of the tournament was Scotland’s nail-biting clash against Ireland, which they narrowly lost.
“When a game is that tight, it always hurts a bit more to come out on the wrong side. We’ve got a good rivalry with Ireland — close neighbours and a team we play a lot. It was pretty hard to take when we couldn’t quite get over the line, but again, what a great game of cricket. It’s exciting to see how far both teams have come.”
From Hockey to Cricket – A Childhood Love
Sarah spoke fondly of her multi-sport childhood and how cricket eventually became her priority.
“I think I always knew that cricket was the one that I would take more seriously, I guess, growing up. I absolutely loved hockey, especially playing at school and even into university a little bit. I started playing cricket at school in the school girls’ team, and then played boys’ cricket and men’s cricket growing up. I have lots of fun memories of playing all different sorts of sports back home, but yes, in particular, hockey at school and a good run around during the winter. It worked perfectly, with one being a winter sport and one being a summer sport. I think I always knew that cricket was the one that would always take more of my attention.”
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Cricketing Idols and Aspirations
Asked about her cricketing inspirations, Sarah named Australian star Beth Mooney.
“Beth Mooney is someone I look up to. Her consistency in T20s is incredible. I think she is the sort of player that I look to and see if there are little bits and pieces that can learn off. ”
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She also expressed strong interest in participating in a Women’s Super League in Pakistan, should it launch.
“100%. I’ve absolutely loved my time playing here in Pakistan. I think the culture has been great, everyone has been so welcoming. I would absolutely love to get the opportunity to play back and hopefully explore a little bit more of Pakistan if the opportunity arose.”
Life in a Controlled Environment
Acknowledging the strict bio-secure protocols in place for international players in Pakistan, Sarah reflected on the mental side of the game.
“It’s not always easy not being able to go out and about. This tournament has been a pretty hectic schedule, which in a way has probably made it easier because there has not been too much downtime anyway. It is a shame that you can’t get out and about a little bit more, but I think we have been really good as a team at finding ways to keep ourselves entertained.”
A Taste of Pakistan
What did Sarah enjoy the most off the field? The food — with a few boundaries.
“I really enjoy the food — as long as it’s not too spicy! I particularly love the breads here. They’re lovely.”
As Scotland prepares for the road ahead, Sarah leaves Lahore with gratitude, determination, and a sense of accomplishment.
