The Pakistan Cricket Board has confirmed its 15-member national women’s squads for two major upcoming assignments, with regular skipper Fatima Sana returning to lead the side in both the Women’s Asia Cup and the 20th Asian Games.
Sana missed Pakistan’s recent T20I series against Sri Lanka due to her playing commitments in The Hundred, but she is back at the helm as the team prepares for a demanding schedule across the United Arab Emirates and Japan.
Asia Cup Squad and Schedule
The Women’s Asia Cup will take place in Dubai from August 28 to September 13. Pakistan’s squad for the tournament includes Fatima Sana, Muneeba Ali Siddiqui, Shawaal Zulfiqar, Ayesha Zafar, Gul Feroza, Syaira Jabbeen, Eman Fatima, Eman Nasir, Umme Hani, Tuba Hassan, Nashra Sandhu, Momina Riaz, Najiha Alvi, Waheeda Akhtar and Sadia Yousuf.
Pakistan have been drawn in Group A alongside India, Thailand and Hong Kong, China. Their group-stage fixtures are scheduled as follows:
- September 1: Pakistan vs Thailand
- September 5: Pakistan vs India
- September 7: Pakistan vs Hong Kong, China
The semi-finals will be played on September 10 and 11, with the final set for September 13 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. All matches are due to begin at 7:30pm Pakistan Standard Time.
Asian Games Squad and Quarter-Final Draw
For the Asian Games, the PCB has made three changes to the Asia Cup squad, bringing in Alia Riaz, Tasmiya Rubab and Humna Bilal. The tournament will be held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, from September 17 to 22.
Pakistan have been seeded alongside Thailand and will face them in the fourth quarter-final at Koroogi Athletic Park on September 17. The other quarter-finals will see India take on Japan, Bangladesh face China, and Sri Lanka play Malaysia.
If Pakistan advance to the semi-finals, they will meet the winner of the Sri Lanka versus Malaysia quarter-final. The medal matches are scheduled for September 22.
Preparation and Historical Context
Pakistan have a strong history in women’s cricket at the Asian Games, having won gold medals in 2010 and 2014. The team finished fourth in the 2022 edition and will be aiming to return to the podium this year.
As part of their build-up to the Asia Cup, Pakistan’s national training camp will be held at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore from August 16 to 25. The camp will provide the squad with focused preparation before they travel to Dubai for the continental tournament.
