Pakistan prepare to face India after defeating Thailand in Women’s Asia Cup
Pakistan opened their 2026 Women’s Asia Cup campaign with a 35-run win over Thailand in Dubai, but the victory also offered a timely reminder of what they will need to hone before they face India in their next Group A match.
Batting first on a slow surface, Pakistan were 119 for 9 before their spinners and a disciplined bowling attack restricted Thailand to 84 for 8. Pakistan also did not play well as they bowled three during the chase. Meanwhile, Thailand completed all three league matches to finish with one win and two defeats.
Pakistan will next face India on September 5 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. The match is expected to be a much tougher test with India having already beaten Thailand by 94 runs in their opening match.
MUNEEBA SAVES PAKISTAN AFTER PREMATURE COLLAPSE
Muneeba Ali won the Player of the Match award. Courtesy: ACC
Pakistan’s batting got off to a poor start as they slipped to 6 for 2 in two overs. Shawaal Zulfiqar was dismissed for 1 before Gull Feroza fell for a duck, both wickets coming with Thipatcha Putthawong dropping Deepti Sharma to become the leading wicket-taker in women’s T20Is.
Thailand also had opportunities to make the damage worse. Muneeba Ali survived a miscue and was also given a reprieve when Thailand wasted a chance caught and dropped. The Pakistani opener made the most of her luck and made the decisive contribution of the innings.
Muneeba scored 54 off 52 balls, hitting four fours and was named man of the match. Alongside Sadaf Shamas, she got Pakistan’s innings back on track, with the pair adding 54 runs for the fourth wicket.
Shamas contributed 20 off 20 balls before falling to Suleeporn Laomi, who was Thailand’s best bowler with 3 for 14. Putthawong also finished with three wickets, conceding only 18 runs.
Pakistan again lost momentum when skipper Fatima Sana fell for a duck, but the lower order provided vital pressure. Umm-e-Hani made 17 off 15 balls while Tuba Hassan smashed an unbeaten 12 off just four deliveries, including a six and a four. These late runs helped Pakistan get 13 from the final over.
It wasn’t a daunting total on paper, but Pakistan seemed aware that the batting conditions could get tougher as the match progressed.
PAKISTAN SPINNERS SET INDIA’S TEST
Sadia Iqbal picked up 3 wickets against Thailand. Courtesy: ACC
This assessment turned out to be correct. Pakistan’s spinners throttled Thailand’s chase almost from the start, making it difficult for the batsmen to score freely or build lasting partnerships.
Sadia Iqbal produced an outstanding bowling performance, taking 3 for 11 from four overs, including a maiden. She struck twice earlier, removing Phannita Maya for 4 and Nannapat Koncharoenkai for a duck in the same over.
Nashra Sandhu was even more frugal. Her four overs cost just six runs and included a maiden as she dismissed Natthakan Chantham for 14. Tuba Hassan added two wickets for 17, including stumping Aphisara Suwanchonrathi.
Thailand’s Chanida Sutthiruang offered the strongest resistance, top-scoring with 25 off 24 balls, but the lack of support around her meant Thailand never seriously threatened the target. Fatima Sana also chipped in with a Laomi goal.
However, Pakistan’s field deployment remains an area for improvement. Dropping catches against Thailand did not prove costly, but such lapses could hurt them against a stronger Indian batting line-up.
India have already made a great start to the tournament by beating Thailand by 94 runs, with Shafali Verma scoring 64 and Deepti Sharma returning remarkable figures of 3 for 0.
Pakistan therefore have four days to build on a win that showcased their spin power but also exposed some weaknesses. A win over Thailand gives Fatima Sana’s side confidence and two points, but the clash with India will require much more discipline
The win in Thailand was a good start. Against India, Pakistan will need significantly more.
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Issued by:
sabyasachi chowdhury
Published on:
02 Sep 2026 0:22 IST