Pakistan women’s cricket team captain, Fatima Sana, is feeling confident ahead of the ACC Women’s Emerging Teams Asia Cup, where they are set to face India. The tournament will take place from June 12 to June 21 at Tin Kwong Road Recreation Ground in Hong Kong.
The team, led by Sana, will depart from Karachi tonight, making their way to Hong Kong via Dubai to participate in the eight-team tournament. Sana expressed that the team’s training camp in Karachi has prepared them well for the upcoming competition.
Sana expects each player to bring their learnings from the camp and exhibit their skills with confidence during the tournament. In Group A, Pakistan will face tough opponents such as Nepal, hosts Hong Kong, and India A. Sana urges her players to approach each match with determination, resilience, and a never-give-up attitude.
Pakistan is placed in Group A alongside Hong Kong, India A, and Nepal. Their first match is scheduled against Nepal on June 13, followed by matches against Hong Kong and India A on June 15 and 17, respectively. The top two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals on June 19, with the final taking place on June 21.
Prior to their departure, the 14-member squad, along with four reserve players, participated in a 15-day camp at the Hanif Mohammad High-Performance Centre in Karachi. The coaching staff focused on various aspects of T20 cricket, including drills, net sessions, and scenario-based matches.
Several players in the squad have already represented Pakistan in international cricket, including Gull Feroza, Natalia Parvaiz, Sadaf Shamas, Syeda Aroob Shah, Tuba Hassan, and Umm-e-Hani. Additionally, Anoosha Nasir, Eyman Fatima, and Shawaal Zulfiqar have represented Pakistan U19 in the ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup earlier this year.
The squad includes Fatima Sana (c), Anoosha Nasir, Eyman Fatima, Gull Feroza, Gulrukh, Lubna Behram, Najiha Alvi (wk), Natalia Parvaiz, Sadaf Shamas, Shawaal Zulfiqar, Syeda Aroob Shah, Tuba Hassan, Umm-e-Hani, and Yusra Amir. The reserves are Amber Kainat, Dua Majid, Fatima Khan, and Rameen Shamim.
The player support personnel for the team consist of Aisha Jalil (manager), Mohsin Kamal (head coach), Muhammad Kamran Hussain (assistant coach), Muhammad Usman Shahid (analyst), and Rabia Siddiq (physiotherapist).
The team’s fixtures include matches against Nepal on June 13, Hong Kong on June 15, and India A on June 17, all taking place at Tin Kwong Road Recreation Ground in Hong Kong.