Muneeba Ali stars with a half-century as Pakistan Women defeat Thailand by 35 runs in their Asia Cup opener.
Pakistan Women made a winning start to their ACC Women’s T20 Asia Cup 2026 campaign by defeating Thailand Women by 35 runs at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. The victory gave Pakistan two valuable points in their opening match and provided the team with early momentum in the eight-team tournament.
Pakistan were asked to bat first and posted 119 for nine in their allotted 20 overs. Opening batter Muneeba Ali was the standout performer with a composed 54 from 52 balls, including four boundaries. Her innings provided stability to a Pakistan batting lineup that struggled to score freely against Thailand’s disciplined bowling attack.
Muneeba found useful support from Sadaf Shamas, who contributed 20 runs. The pair added 54 runs for the fourth wicket, helping Pakistan recover after an uncertain start. Although Pakistan could not finish with a huge total, their 119-run score proved enough once their bowlers took control.
Thailand’s chase never really developed as Pakistan’s spinners repeatedly created pressure. Sadia Iqbal was particularly impressive, taking three wickets for just 11 runs from her four overs. She also bowled a double-wicket maiden early in the innings, immediately putting Thailand on the back foot.
Nashra Sundhu was another key contributor, conceding only six runs in her four overs while taking one wicket. Tuba Hassan also picked up two wickets, while captain Fatima Sana contributed with the ball as Pakistan restricted Thailand to 84 for eight in their 20 overs.
Muneeba’s contribution was recognised with the Player of the Match award after her important half-century. The victory also gives Pakistan confidence ahead of their next group-stage challenge against India on September 5.
Pakistan will now look to build on this positive opening performance. With the tournament featuring several strong Asian teams, maintaining consistency with both bat and ball will be crucial if Pakistan are to progress deep into the competition.
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