Tag: Fatima Sana

Pakistan women’s team captain Fatima Sana has called on Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi to introduce a long-awaited women’s franchise league, terming it a crucial step for the development of the game in the country.

Speaking to the media, the 24-year-old all-rounder stressed that the absence of a domestic franchise structure has limited exposure for women cricketers, both locally and internationally.

With the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 on the horizon, she believes the timing is ideal to invest in the future of the women’s game.

“We have long been awaiting the Pakistan Women’s Cricket League,” Fatima said.

“I would request PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi to launch our league. It will attract foreign players to Pakistan, while our players will also get opportunities abroad. This will greatly benefit women’s cricket.”

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Fatima also pointed to the global landscape, where leading cricketing nations have already established successful women’s franchise tournaments.

India’s Women’s Premier League (WPL), launched in 2023, has quickly emerged as one of the fastest-growing leagues in the sport, drawing top international talent and significant commercial interest.

Similarly, Australia’s Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL), which began in 2015, remains the longest-running women’s franchise competition, while England’s The Hundred has also played a key role in promoting women’s cricket since its introduction in 2021.

The Pakistan skipper underlined that the success of these leagues is closely tied to the rise of their respective national teams, reinforcing her argument that a similar structure is now essential for Pakistan to keep pace with the global game.

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Pakistan captain Fatima Sana has called on the International Cricket Council (ICC) to ensure venues with appropriate playing and weather conditions for future tournaments.

Sana’s statement came following her team’s frustrating, rain-affected ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 campaign, which ended without a single victory.

The Green Shirts’ final group match against co-hosts Sri Lanka at the R. Premadasa Stadium was abandoned due to persistent rain.

Notably, this was their third washed-out fixture of the tournament, leaving them seventh on the table with just three points from seven matches.

Speaking after the match, Fatima Sana expressed disappointment at how weather disruptions derailed Pakistan’s campaign and urged the ICC to address scheduling and venue selection more carefully in future global events.

“The weather did not go in our favour in the England match and others as well,” Fatima said. “ICC must arrange good venues for World Cups because we wait four years for this opportunity.”

The 23-year-old all-rounder, who captained Pakistan for the first time in a senior ICC event, acknowledged the team’s limitations but also highlighted areas of progress.

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“We were very good in bowling and fielding, but our batting needs improvement,” she reflected.

“In a couple of matches, we came very close, against Australia and England, but couldn’t cross the line. That’s the main thing we have to work on.”

Despite the disappointing results, Fatima maintained a positive outlook, saying that the experience of leading Pakistan in a major tournament had been invaluable.

“As the youngest captain, these matches give me a lot of confidence,” she said.

“I’m in a learning phase, and I always watch Kane Williamson. He also lost a close World Cup but was still smiling. As a captain, you have to believe in yourself.”

Looking ahead, the Pakistan skipper emphasised the need for more international exposure ahead of next year’s Women’s T20 World Cup.

“We haven’t played much cricket recently. Hopefully, we get more matches before the next big event so we can prepare well,” she added.

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COLOMBO: Pakistan captain Fatima Sana admitted her side’s failure with the ball cost them dearly as they slumped to a crushing defeat against South Africa in their must-win ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 clash here on Tuesday.

The rain-hit encounter, which was reduced to 20 overs per side, saw Pakistan fall well short of the revised target of 234, finishing at 83 for 7, a result that all but ended their hopes of reaching the semi-finals.

Opting to bowl first, Pakistan’s previously consistent attack was dismantled by a ruthless South African batting lineup that piled up a record 312 for 9 in 40 overs, their highest-ever total in a Women’s World Cup match.

Speaking after the game, Fatima Sana didn’t shy away from admitting that it was Pakistan’s bowling that faltered under pressure.

“I think today is the day bowlers didn’t perform well. We have to accept it,” Fatima said. “They played very well, but we needed to be calmer in those situations.”

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The 23-year-old skipper pointed to the difficult post-rain conditions as a key factor behind her side’s struggle to find rhythm.

“After the rain, the ball was wet, and it was hard for the bowlers to grip. We tried to bowl on the stumps but couldn’t execute our plans,” she explained.

Despite acknowledging the bowling collapse, Fatima suggested the pitch remained good for batting, but Pakistan’s batters lacked belief in chasing the steep target.

“We lost early wickets and couldn’t build partnerships,” she said. “The pitch was fine, we just didn’t believe enough. Maybe some batters didn’t have that belief.”

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LAHORE: Pakistan women’s team captain Fatima Sana expressed confidence in the team’s preparations, calling the One Day International (ODI) series against South Africa a vital preparatory ground for the upcoming ICC World Cup 2025.

Speaking in the pre-series press conference, Fatima mentioned the advantage of having a series before a mega event. She emphasized pitches and conditions and remained hopeful of giving their best.

“It is beneficial to have a series before the World Cup. Sri Lanka and Pakistan’s pitches are similar, we will try to perform well,” she said.

Regarding World Cup preparations, the captain remarked that the team comprising new and senior players is shaping up well. Fatima Sana also highlighted the advantage of playing in a single venue.

“Preparations for the World Cup are good. The team has a good rhythm, and the combination of seniors and juniors is good.”

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She also praised South Africa for playing excellent cricket while highlighting the advantage of playing on a single venue.

“South Africa has played good cricket, and we have also played good cricket. Playing at a venue in Sri Lanka will be an advantage,” she concluded.

For the unversed, Pakistan will play South Africa for a three-match ODI series before heading into the World Cup co-hosted by Sri Lanka and India.

The opening match of the World Cup will begin with hosts India facing Sri Lanka in Guwahati on September 30.

Fatima Sana, who represented Pakistan in the previous edition of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup, will lead the side for the first time in the mega event.

Pakistan women’s cricket team will play all their group-stage matches at the R Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Colombo.

Should Pakistan qualify for the 29 October semi-final and the 2 November final, then both the matches will take place in Colombo.

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DUBAI: The International Cricket Council (ICC) revealed the Women’s Player of the Month nominees for April 2025, featuring Pakistan’s Fatima Sana alongside West Indies’ Hayley Matthews and Scotland’s Katherine Bryce.

Pakistan’s women’s team captain, Fatima Sana, earned the nomination for her impressive performances in the recently concluded ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier.

Fatima was pivotal in Pakistan’s unbeaten run at the Qualifier, taking 12 wickets at an outstanding economy of  3.97.

The best bowling figures of Fatima Sana came against Scotland, where she claimed four for 23 in her five overs.

Apart from bowling, Fatima Sana also contributed with the bat. Fatima Sana’s unbeaten 62* against Thailand was her best innings.

The West Indies captain was at her all-round best in the Qualifier despite her team’s loss and their missing out on the ICC World Cup 2025, which will be played in India.

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Hayley Matthews led the wicket charts with 13 wickets in five matches at a staggering average of 15.84, apart from amassing 240 runs at a strike rate of 116.50.

Matthews’ best came against Scotland, taking a four-wicket haul followed by a match-winning century.

With the West Indies set to chase 167 inside 10.1 overs, Hayley Matthews stood with the bat, scoring a sublime 70 off 29 deliveries. However, her team ended on the losing side with a slim Net Run Rate margin of  0.01.

Scotland’s Katherine Bryce earned the nomination for becoming the leading run scorer in the Qualifiers. She finished the tournament as the leading run-getter, scoring 293 runs in five innings at an outstanding average of 73.25.

Katherine also recorded the highest individual score of the tournament, smashing an unbeaten 131 of 137 deliveries.

She also impressed with the ball, bagging six wickets. Her all-round show in the event earned him the ‘Player of the Tournament’ award.

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DUBAI: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has named Fatima Sana as the captain of the Women’s World Cup Qualifier 2025 Team of the Tournament, featuring four players from Pakistan.

The team selected by a panel of event commentators, including Andrew Leonard, Marina Iqbal, Kainat Imtiaz, and Joel Manning, also features players from Bangladesh, the West Indies, and Scotland.

“Fatima was Pakistan’s talisman during the tournament, chipping in with crucial late-order runs, and bringing crucial breakthroughs with her fast bowling,” the ICC said in a statement.

The team also features Pakistan’s southpaw opener Muneeba Ali and the left-arm spin duo of Nashra Sandhu and Sadia Iqbal.

Muneeba, who scored 223 runs including half-centuries against Scotland and Bangladesh, is picked as one of the openers alongside Hayley Matthews, who enjoyed a strong tournament with bat and ball.

Matthews made an unbeaten century in a losing cause in the West Indies’ opening match against Scotland and finished by scoring the second-fastest half-century in women’s ODI history against Thailand, reaching the landmark in 21 deliveries on her way to a 29-ball 70.

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The 27-year-old also topped the wicket-taking charts with 13 scalps, including four-wicket hauls against Scotland and Ireland.

Bangladesh’s Sharmin Akhter is picked at three after a consistent tournament which saw her score half-centuries against Thailand (94 not out), Scotland (57) and the West Indies (67), finishing with 266 runs at 66.50.

She is followed by the competition’s leading run-scorer and Player of the Tournament, Kathryn Bryce, who backed up scores of 91 against Pakistan and 60 against Thailand with a majestic 131 not out against Ireland, her first ODI century. She also took six wickets across the Qualifier.

Nigar Sultana takes the gloves after playing an integral role in the three victories which ultimately secured Bangladesh’s progress to the Women’s Cricket World Cup, notching consecutive scores of 101, 51 and 83 not out.

She is followed by the skipper, Fatima, who shone with bat and ball as Pakistan won all five of their matches to top the table and secure their own place at the main event later this year. She scored 106 runs – including an unbeaten 62 against Thailand – and took 12 wickets at 12.25, while going at fewer than four runs an over.

The West Indies duo Chinelle Henry and Aaliyah Alleyne are included in the lower middle order. Henry made 46 not out against Ireland and 51 not out against Bangladesh before blasting five sixes in a remarkable 17-ball 48 in their win over Thailand.

Alleyne took 12 wickets, including four for 39 against Bangladesh, two clear of Katherine Fraser and Nashra Sandhu, who are also selected.

Scotland star Fraser took three-wicket hauls against both the West Indies and Thailand, also chipping in with valuable runs, while Nashra took wickets in every match, including three apiece against Ireland and Thailand.

Sadia Iqbal rounds out the team after taking nine wickets at 16.22 and going at just 3.84 runs an over, providing a consistent performer for the hosts.

Rabeya Khan, who took three wickets in Bangladesh’s pivotal win over Ireland and six overall, is named as the 12th player.

Women’s World Cup Qualifier Team of the Tournament

Fatima Sana (Pakistan) (c), Hayley Matthews (West Indies), Muneeba Ali (Pakistan), Sharmin Akhter (Bangladesh), Kathryn Bryce (Scotland), Nigar Sultana (Bangladesh) (wk), Chinelle Henry (West Indies), Aaliyah Alleyne (West Indies), Katherine Fraser (Scotland), Nashra Sandhu (Pakistan), Sadia Iqbal (Pakistan)

Reserve Player:

Rabeya Khan (Bangladesh)

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Pakistan captain Fatima Sana has arrived in Dubai to rejoin the national squad ahead of tomorrow’s ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 clash against New Zealand at Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

Fatima had left the tournament midway to attend her father’s funeral in Karachi on 10 October. She missed Pakistan’s match against Australia, where the team suffered a humiliating nine-wicket loss under the captaincy of Muneeba Ali.

Pakistan are currently placed in fourth place in Group B with one victory and two losses after three games. They will play their last match against New Zealand, which is a must-win game for them to keep their hopes alive for the semi-final.

The Green Shirts have to beat New Zealand by a substantial margin and then hope for other results to go their way.

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Fatima Sana’s return will be a big boost for Pakistan considering their struggling performance against Australia in her absence.

It’s worth noting that the ongoing tournament is Fatima’s first as captain and she has been leading Pakistan from the front with four wickets in two games along with 43 runs at a strike-rate of 153.57.

Fatima Sana played a key role in Pakistan’s victory over Sri Lanka in their tournament opener and earned the Player of the Match award for her performance.

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Pakistan captain Fatima Sana is set to return home due to her father’s untimely demise and wicket-keeper Muneeba Ali will step in to lead the side in the ongoing ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024.

Fatima will leave for Karachi on the first available flight today to attend her father’s funeral. The players and team management of the Pakistan women’s cricket team expressed their heartfelt sympathy and condolences to Fatima.

The chairman of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Mohsin Naqvi also expressed grief and sorrow over the death of Fatima Sana’s father. He conveyed his condolences to Fatima saying, “May Allah grant you and the bereaved family patience.”

Muneeba Ali has scored 28 runs in the two matches during the ongoing tournament so far and will lead the Green Shirts in their match against Australia tomorrow.

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It’s worth noting that the ongoing tournament is Fatima’s first as captain and she has been leading Pakistan from the front with four wickets in two games along with 43 runs at a strike-rate of 153.57.

Pakistan are currently placed in third place in Group B with one victory and one loss after two games.

Fatima Sana played a key role in Pakistan’s victory over Sri Lanka in their tournament opener and earned the Player of the Match award for her performance.

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Fatima Sana, who is leading Pakistan in the ongoing ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024, is set to return back home after her father’s untimely demise in Karachi on Thursday.

Fatima will leave for Karachi on the first available flight today to attend her father’s funeral. The players and team management of the Pakistan women’s cricket team expressed their heartfelt sympathy and condolences to Fatima.

The chairman of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Mohsin Naqvi also expressed grief and sorrow over the death of Fatima Sana’s father.

He conveyed his condolences to Fatima saying, “May Allah grant you and the bereaved family patience.”

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It’s worth noting that the ongoing tournament is Fatima’s first as captain and she has been leading Pakistan from the front with four wickets in two games along with 43 runs at a strike-rate of 153.57.

Pakistan are currently placed in third place in Group B with one victory and one loss after two games.

Fatima Sana played key role in Pakistan’s victory over Sri Lanka in their tournament opener and earned the Player of the Match award for her performance.

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Pakistan captain Fatima Sana expressed her hope to carry on the momentum after her side’s thumping 31-run victory over Sri Lanka in the second match of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024.

Fatima was instrumental in Pakistan’s victory as she recovered Pakistan from 84/8 to a respectable total of 116 with her quickfire 30-run cameo.

Later with the ball, she bagged two wickets including the prized scalp of her Sri Lankan counterpart Chamari Athapaththu.

For her all-round brilliance, Fatima Sana was awarded the Player of the Match in her maiden ICC Women’s T20 World Cup match as captain.

Speaking at the post-match presentation, the Pakistan captain thanked her teammates and credited management for the important victory.

“I am excited, thanks to the team they supported well. All credit goes to management,” said Fatima.

“We need to take the momentum and carry this to next match.

“I blame myself [for the score], but I tried to back myself and be calm to hit.”

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The right-arm pacer then shared that Pakistan needed to get rid of Chamari Athapaththu early to have a good start and it set the tone to defend the modest total.

“Obviously, we all know Chamari is a good player, we needed that wicket to have a good start and we got it,” Fatima said.

“We won the toss and we wanted a lot of runs but we didn’t get. But we still achieved the target in the game,” she added.

Remember, Pakistan had suffered a major blow earlier in the run defence when their experienced pacer Diana Baig limped off the field after bowling just one delivery.

Asked to provide an update on the pacer’s injury, Fatima Sana stated that she would inquire about Baig’s injury after the game.

“Unfortunately she [Diana Baig] was injured. She is our main player. I had to calm myself as captain and carry on with the ball after that. We will ask her how she is after the game,” Fatima said.

READ: Pakistan stun Sri Lanka to kick off Women’s T20 World Cup with a win