Pakistan’s Women’s T20 World Cup campaign has been dealt a heavy blow as captain Fatima Sana will miss the team’s next match against Australia in Dubai, following the sudden death of her father. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed that Sana will return to Karachi on Thursday via the first available flight to be with her family during this difficult time.
With Pakistan’s hopes of qualifying for the semi-finals on the line, Sana’s absence comes at a crucial point. The team needs at least one, if not both, of their remaining games to win in order to have a chance to progress from a challenging Group A. Pakistan, who are currently third in the group after one win and one loss, will face Australia on Friday and then New Zealand on Monday.
In the absence of Sana, experienced batter Muneeba Ali will take over as captain. The team will undoubtedly miss Sana’s leadership and key contributions on the field. The 22-year-old has been central to Pakistan’s efforts in the tournament so far, playing a vital role in their opening-game victory over Sri Lanka. She top-scored with 30 runs and took two crucial wickets, including the important scalp of Sri Lanka’s Chamari Athapaththu.
In Pakistan’s second game against India, Sana’s leadership was once again evident. Her back-to-back wickets of Jemimah Rodrigues and Richa Ghosh gave India a scare and ensured that Pakistan’s net run rate did not take a big hit, despite the loss.
Sana’s decision to replace Nida Dar as captain has seen Pakistan adopt a more data-driven and aggressive approach to their batting. With the pressure mounting to qualify for the semi-finals, her absence will certainly be felt, but the team will hope to rise to the challenge under Muneeba Ali’s captaincy.
Click Here:- Pakistan Beat Sri Lanka by 31 Runs
