Pakistan Women announce 15-player squads for 2026 Asia Cup and 20th Asian Games with Fatima Sana returning

Pakistan Women were named in 15-member squads for the Women's Asia Cup 2026 and the women's cricket tournament at the 20th Asian Games, the Pakistan Cricket Board announced on Sunday, and regular captain Fatima Sana returns to lead both teams as they seek a revival after the T20 World Cup.

Fatima Sana missed Pakistan’s recent T20I series against Sri Lanka because of her commitments with The Hundred, where she represented Birmingham Phoenix, and the PCB confirmed she will captain the side in both upcoming events; the announcement described her return as a major boost for a side looking to recover from a disappointing global campaign.

At the T20 World Cup Pakistan won one of five group matches, finishing fifth in Group 1 with two points; they lost their opening three games to India, South Africa and Bangladesh, suffered a 113‑run defeat to Australia, and closed the campaign with a 37‑run victory over the Netherlands.

The Women's Asia Cup will be staged from August 28 to September 13 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, with Pakistan placed in Group A along with Hong Kong, China, India and Thailand.

The squad announcement followed Pakistan’s 2-1 T20I series defeat to Sri Lanka, a series in which Muneeba Ali Siddiqui led the team while Fatima Sana was unavailable due to The Hundred commitments.

For the 20th Asian Games Pakistan have been seeded alongside Thailand and are scheduled to meet them in the fourth quarter-final on September 17; Pakistan previously won gold at the 2010 and 2014 Asian Games and finished fourth at the 2022 edition.

Asia Cup squad: Fatima Sana (captain), Ayesha Zafar, Eman Naseer, Eyman Fatima, Gull Feroza, Momina Riasat, Muneeba Ali Siddiqui (wk), 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.

Asian Games squad: Fatima Sana (captain), Aliya Riaz, Ayesha Zafar, Eman Naseer, Eyman Fatima, Gull Feroza, Humna Bilal, Momina Riasat, Muneeba Ali Siddiqui (wk), Nashra Sundhu, Saira Jabeen, Shawaal Zulfiqar, Tasmia Rubab, Tuba Hassan and Umm-e-Hani. Reserves: Natalia Parvaiz, Waheeda Akhtar, Sadia Iqbal, Syeda Aroob Shah, Rameen Shamim.

Pakistan will open their Asia Cup campaign against Thailand on September 1, then face India on September 5 and Hong Kong, China on September 7, and they are due to meet Thailand in the fourth Asian Games quarter-final on September 17.