The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced the national women’s squads for the ACC Women’s Asia Cup 2026 and the 20th Asian Games, with Fatima Sana returning as captain for both competitions.
Fatima missed Pakistan’s recent T20I series against Sri Lanka because of her commitments in The Hundred. She will now resume leadership duties as Pakistan prepares for two major international assignments.
The Women’s Asia Cup will take place in Dubai from August 28 to September 13, while the Asian Games cricket competition will be held in Japan in September.
Pakistan Drawn With India in Asia Cup
Pakistan have been placed in Group A of the eight-team ACC Women’s Asia Cup alongside arch-rivals India, Thailand and Hong Kong, China.
Group B consists of Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, the United Arab Emirates and Indonesia.
Pakistan will begin their campaign against Thailand on September 1 before facing India in one of the tournament’s most anticipated matches on September 5.
The national side will then take on Hong Kong, China on September 7.
The semi-finals are scheduled for September 10 and 11, followed by the final on September 13.
With India and Pakistan drawn in the same group, their September 5 encounter is expected to attract significant attention from cricket fans across the region.
Fatima Sana to Lead Both Campaigns
The squads for the two tournaments largely feature the same core group of players.
Fatima Sana will be joined by Muneeba Ali Siddiqui, Shawaal Zulfiqar, Ayesha Zafar, Gull Feroza, Saira Jabeen, Eyman Fatima, Eman Naseer, Umm-e-Hani, Tuba Hassan, Nashra Sundhu and Momina Riasat in both competitions.
For the Asia Cup, Najiha Alvi, Waheeda Akhtar and Sadia Iqbal have also been selected.
Meanwhile, Aliya Riaz, Tasmia Rubab and Humna Bilal have been included in the Asian Games squad instead.
PCB Grants NOCs to 12 Players for CPL 2026 and County Cricket
Pakistan’s Asian Games Campaign
After the Asia Cup, Pakistan’s women’s team will travel to Japan for the cricket competition at the 20th Asian Games in Aichi prefecture.
Pakistan have been seeded alongside Thailand and will face them in the fourth quarter-final on September 17.
If Pakistan win that match, they will advance to the semi-finals on September 20, where they could face either Sri Lanka or Malaysia.
The bronze-medal and gold-medal matches are scheduled for September 22.
Pakistan have a strong record in women’s cricket at the Asian Games. The country won gold medals in 2010 and 2014, before finishing fourth at the most recent edition in 2022.
Training Camp Begins in Lahore
Before travelling for the two tournaments, the national women’s team will participate in a training camp at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore from August 16 to 25.
The camp will give the players an opportunity to prepare together and work on their fitness, skills and tactical plans ahead of a busy international schedule.
Pakistan’s Asia Cup Squad
Fatima Sana (captain), Ayesha Zafar, Eman Naseer, Eyman Fatima, Gull Feroza, Momina Riasat, Muneeba Ali Siddiqui (wicketkeeper), Najiha Alvi, Nashra Sundhu, Sadia Iqbal, Saira Jabeen, Shawaal Zulfiqar, Tuba Hassan, Umm-e-Hani and Waheeda Akhtar.
Pakistan’s Asian Games Squad
Fatima Sana (captain), Aliya Riaz, Ayesha Zafar, Eman Naseer, Eyman Fatima, Gull Feroza, Humna Bilal, Momina Riasat, Muneeba Ali Siddiqui (wicketkeeper), Nashra Sundhu, Saira Jabeen, Shawaal Zulfiqar, Tasmia Rubab, Tuba Hassan and Umm-e-Hani.
Pakistan’s Key Fixtures
ACC Women’s Asia Cup
- September 1: Pakistan vs Thailand
- September 5: Pakistan vs India
- September 7: Pakistan vs Hong Kong, China
- September 10-11: Semi-finals
- September 13: Final
20th Asian Games
- September 17: Quarter-final — Pakistan vs Thailand
- September 20: Semi-finals
- September 22: Bronze-medal and gold-medal matches
With Fatima Sana back at the helm and a largely settled squad, Pakistan will be aiming to make a strong impact in both competitions. The Asia Cup clash against India, in particular, will be one of the most closely watched fixtures of Pakistan’s campaign.
