Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has unveiled its 15-member squads for the DP World Women’s Asia Cup 2026 and the 20th Asian Games women’s cricket tournament, with Fatima Sana returning to captain Pakistan in both competitions.
Fatima Sana missed Pakistan’s recent T20I series against Sri Lanka because of her commitments in The Hundred, but she is now back at the helm as Pakistan prepare for two major international assignments.
Pakistan Women Set for Asia Cup Challenge
The eight-team Women’s Asia Cup 2026 will be played in the United Arab Emirates from 28 August to 13 September, with all matches scheduled to begin at 7:30pm PKT at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
Pakistan have been drawn in Group A, alongside arch-rivals India, Thailand and Hong Kong, China. Group B features Bangladesh, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and the United Arab Emirates.
Pakistan will begin their campaign against Thailand on 1 September, before taking on India on 5 September. Their final group-stage fixture will be against Hong Kong, China on 7 September.
The semi-finals are scheduled for 10 and 11 September, while the tournament final will take place on 13 September.
Fatima Sana to Lead Pakistan
Fatima Sana’s return provides Pakistan with leadership and experience ahead of a demanding Asia Cup campaign. She will captain a squad featuring a blend of established players and emerging talent.
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 are included in both tournament squads.
Pakistan Women’s Asia Cup 2026 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
- Waheeda Akhtar
Reserves: Tasmia Rubab, Humna Bilal, Maham Anees, Sadaf Shamas.
Pakistan Prepare for Asian Games
Following the Asia Cup, Pakistan will turn their attention to the 20th Asian Games in Aichi, Japan.
Pakistan are seeded alongside Thailand and will face them in the fourth quarter-final on 17 September at Korogi Athletic Park in Aichi.
If Pakistan progress, they will face either Sri Lanka or Malaysia in the semi-finals on 20 September. The bronze-medal and gold-medal matches are scheduled for 22 September.
Pakistan have a strong record in Asian Games women’s cricket, winning gold medals in the 2010 and 2014 editions. They finished fourth at the most recent Asian Games in 2022 and will be aiming to return to the podium in Japan.
Pakistan Women’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
- Umm-e-Hani
Reserves: Natalia Parvaiz, Waheeda Akhtar, Sadia Iqbal, Syeda Aroob Shah, Rameen Shamim.
Key Changes Between the Two Squads
While much of the core group remains unchanged, several players have been selected specifically for one of the two tournaments.
Najiha Alvi, Waheeda Akhtar and Sadia Iqbal are part of the Asia Cup squad but will not feature in the Asian Games group. Meanwhile, Aliya Riaz, Tasmia Rubab and Humna Bilal have been included in the Asian Games squad as Pakistan transition from the UAE to Japan.
The Asian Games squad was submitted earlier in June.
Pakistan Women’s Asia Cup Schedule
| Date | Match |
|---|---|
| 1 September | Pakistan vs Thailand |
| 5 September | Pakistan vs India |
| 7 September | Pakistan vs Hong Kong, China |
| 10 September | Semi-final 1 |
| 11 September | Semi-final 2 |
| 13 September | Final |
All matches will be played at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, with the scheduled start time of 7:30pm PKT.
Pakistan Women’s Asian Games Schedule
| Date | Match |
|---|---|
| 17 September | Pakistan vs Thailand – Quarter-final 4 |
| 20 September | Semi-finals |
| 22 September | Bronze-medal and Gold-medal matches |
All Asian Games women’s cricket matches will be played at Korogi Athletic Park in Aichi Prefecture.
Pakistan Begin Asia Cup Preparations in Lahore
Pakistan’s preparations for the Asia Cup will begin with a pre-tournament training camp at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore.
The camp is scheduled to run from 16 to 25 August, giving the players an opportunity to prepare together before travelling for the tournament.
With Fatima Sana back as captain and a largely settled core group, Pakistan will be looking to make a strong start in the Asia Cup before carrying that momentum into the Asian Games.
The back-to-back tournaments represent an important period for Pakistan women’s cricket, with the team targeting a strong showing in the UAE and another medal challenge in Japan.
