Fatima Sana Stars as Pakistan Defeat Bangladesh by 31 Runs
Pakistan women secured the bronze medal in the Asian Games 2026 cricket competition after defeating Bangladesh by 31 runs in the third-place playoff at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin, Japan. The victory gave Pakistan its first Asian Games women’s cricket medal since the 2014 edition.
Pakistan were asked to bat first and finished their 20 overs at 145 for 8. The innings did not get off to an ideal start, but the middle and lower order fought back to produce a competitive total. Captain Fatima Sana played the decisive innings, scoring 45 runs from just 30 deliveries.
Fatima arrived at the crease when Pakistan were struggling at 67 for 5 and immediately changed the tempo of the innings. She struck three boundaries and three sixes, while Aliya Riaz contributed 25 from 22 balls. Their partnership helped Pakistan recover from a difficult position and set Bangladesh a target of 146.
Bangladesh began the chase needing a steady start, but Pakistan’s bowlers kept the required run rate under pressure. Umm-e-Hani delivered an outstanding spell of 3 for 10, while Fatima Sana also contributed with the ball, taking one wicket for 25 runs. Bangladesh eventually finished on 114 for 7 after 20 overs.
Pakistan’s 31-run victory completed a strong recovery after the team had missed out on the gold-medal match. Pakistan had lost their semifinal against Sri Lanka by eight wickets, with Chamari Athapaththu scoring an unbeaten 83 as Sri Lanka chased Pakistan’s 177-run total with 13 balls remaining.
The bronze medal adds another chapter to Pakistan women’s Asian Games cricket history. Pakistan previously won gold medals in 2010 and 2014, while the team lost the bronze-medal match to Bangladesh at the 2022 Asian Games. The 2026 bronze therefore represents another podium finish for Pakistan in the women’s cricket competition.
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