Pakistan will begin its Women’s T20 Asia Cup 2026 campaign against Thailand on September 1, with captain Fatima Sana leading the side in the eight-team tournament in Dubai.
The tournament begins on August 28, when Thailand face Hong Kong, China in the opening match at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
Pakistan are in Group A alongside Thailand, India and Hong Kong, China. All of Pakistan’s group matches will start at 7:30pm Pakistan time.
Pakistan Open Against Thailand
Pakistan will face Thailand in their opening Group A match on September 1.
The team will then take on arch-rivals India on September 5 before completing the group stage against Hong Kong, China on September 7.
The top teams will advance to the semi-finals, scheduled for September 10 and 11. The final will take place on September 13.
Fatima Sana Leads Pakistan
Fatima Sana returns as Pakistan captain after missing the recent Sri Lanka T20I series because of her commitments with The Hundred.
She will lead a 15-member squad that includes Muneeba Ali Siddiqui, Shawaal Zulfiqar, Ayesha Zafar, Gull Feroza and Tuba Hassan.
Pakistan prepared for the tournament with a training camp before travelling to the United Arab Emirates.
Sadaf Shamas has also been included after replacing wicketkeeper-batter Najiha Alvi, who was ruled out with a left-knee injury.
Pakistan Aim for Strong Asia Cup Run
Pakistan have reached the final twice in the history of the Women’s Asia Cup.
The team finished runners-up in 2012 and 2016. More recently, Pakistan reached the semi-finals in the 2022 and 2024 editions.
The 2026 tournament is the 10th edition of the competition and the sixth to be played in the T20 format.
Fatima Sana Emphasises Pressure Preparation
Fatima Sana said Pakistan used practice matches against boys during their training camp to prepare players for pressure situations.
She said the team wanted to adapt quickly to the conditions in Dubai and approach the tournament one match at a time.
The captain also stressed Pakistan’s ambition to win every game and produce positive results.
Pakistan’s Asia Cup Schedule
| Date | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| September 1 | Pakistan vs Thailand | Dubai International Cricket Stadium |
| September 5 | Pakistan vs India | Dubai International Cricket Stadium |
| September 7 | Pakistan vs Hong Kong, China | Dubai International Cricket Stadium |
| September 10 | Semi-final 1 | Dubai International Cricket Stadium |
| September 11 | Semi-final 2 | Dubai International Cricket Stadium |
| September 13 | Final | Dubai International Cricket Stadium |
All matches are scheduled for 7:30pm Pakistan time.
Pakistan Squad
Fatima Sana (captain), Ayesha Zafar, Eman Naseer, Eyman Fatima, Gull Feroza, Momina Riasat, Muneeba Ali Siddiqui, Nashra Sundhu, Sadaf Shamas, Sadia Iqbal, Saira Jabeen, Shawaal Zulfiqar, Tuba Hassan, Umm-e-Hani and Waheeda Akhtar.
Reserves: Tasmia Rubab, Humna Bilal and Maham Anees.
With the tournament taking place entirely in Dubai, Pakistan will look to adapt quickly and build momentum before the highly anticipated clash against India on September 5.
