Fatima Sana returns to lead Pakistan's Women's Asia Cup squad

Pakistan's selectors have named Fatima Sana as captain of a 15-member squad for the Women's Asia Cup 2026, with the eight-team tournament scheduled to begin in Dubai on August 28. Sana returns as skipper after she sat out the T20I leg of Pakistan's recent tour of Sri Lanka.

Sana had stepped away from the series to honour her commitments with Birmingham Phoenix, becoming the first female cricketer from Pakistan to appear in the Women's Hundred. Two other players are also back in contention: Sadia Iqbal, who was absent from the entire Sri Lanka tour, and Gull Feroza, who featured in the one-day matches on that trip but was left out of the T20I fixtures.

Before departing for Dubai, the squad will gather at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore for a preparatory camp running from Sunday, August 16 through August 25. Pakistan's first fixture in the tournament is against Thailand on September 1.

Veteran fast bowler Diana Baig is the most prominent absentee. She does not appear among the 15 named players, nor does her name feature in the four-member reserve group, which consists of Tasmia Rubab, Humna Bilal, Maham Anees and Sadaf Shamas. No official reason for her exclusion has been provided in the available evidence.

Najiha Alvi and Waheeda Akhtar have been selected for the Asia Cup but will not be part of Pakistan's Asian Games contingent in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. Sadia Iqbal is in a similar position, named in the Asia Cup main squad but listed only as a reserve for the Asian Games.

The two tournaments run in close succession, leaving selectors little room between squads. The Asia Cup final is set for September 13, and Pakistan are scheduled to face Thailand once more in the Asian Games quarterfinal on September 17, just four days later.

The Asian Games squad reflects those scheduling pressures. Aliya Riaz, Tasmia Rubab and Humna Bilal step into the main 15 in place of Sadia Iqbal, Waheeda Akhtar and Najiha Alvi, while Fatima Sana continues as captain across both assignments.

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.

Fatim 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