PCB names Fatima Sana captain for dual Asia Cup and Asian Games campaigns
Fatima Sana returns to the leadership role for both the Women’s Asia Cup and the Asian Games, marking her first assignment since missing the Sri Lanka T20I series due to commitments in The Hundred.
The Pakistan Cricket Board has officially announced 15-member squads for the upcoming Women’s Asia Cup and the Asian Games, with Fatima Sana appointed as captain for both teams. This selection marks Sana’s return to the leadership position following her absence from the recent Sri Lanka T20I series, which was necessitated by her participation in The Hundred tournament.
The Women’s Asia Cup is scheduled to take place in Dubai from 28 August to 13 September. Pakistan has been placed in Group A alongside India, Thailand, and Hong Kong-China. The team’s group stage fixtures include a match against Thailand on 1 September, followed by a contest against India on 5 September, and a game against Hong Kong-China on 7 September.
The tournament structure continues with semi-finals on 10 and 11 September, leading to the final on 13 September. Sana will be supported by a squad comprising Ayesha Zafar, Eman Naseer, Eyman Fatima, Gull Feroza, Momina Riasat, Muneeba Ali Siddiqui, Najiha Alvi, Nashra Sundhu, Sadia Iqbal, Saira Jabeen, Shawaal Zulfiqar, Tuba Hassan, Umm-e-Hani, and Waheeda Akhtar.
Parallel to the Asia Cup preparations, the Asian Games cricket event will commence in Aichi, Japan, on 17 September. The Asian Games squad shares significant overlap with the Asia Cup team, featuring Sana, Zafar, Naseer, Eyman Fatima, Feroza, Momina Riasat, Muneeba Ali, Sundhu, Jabeen, Zulfiqar, Tuba Hassan, and Umm-e-Hani, alongside Aliya Riaz, Humna Bilal, and Tasmia Rubab.
Pakistan’s campaign at the Asian Games begins with a quarter-final against Thailand. The team is slated to play semi-finals on 20 September, with medal matches scheduled for 22 September. Historically, the Pakistan women’s team has secured gold medals at the Asian Games in 2010 and 2014, though they finished fourth in the 2022 edition.
