Sports

Pakistan Women’s Captain Urges Equal Support for Female Cricketers

By Manasi Pathak

Fatima Sana, the 25‑year‑old captain of Pakistan’s women’s cricket team, has called for parity between the country’s men’s and women’s teams. Speaking on Tuesday, Sana said she “dreams of a time” when the women’s side receives the same treatment and fan support as the men’s side. She urged fans to fill stadiums for women’s tournaments.

Sana has led Pakistan since 2024 and is regarded as one of the country’s top cricketers. She plays franchise cricket for the Perth Scorchers in Australia’s Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL). After her team’s six‑wicket win over Melbourne Stars on Sunday, Sana was asked about the state of women’s cricket in Pakistan. “If you look at world cricket, the sport is growing,” she told digital cricket news platform CricBlog TV. “I would like to see the same growth in Pakistan, be it in the men’s or women’s game.”

The right‑arm medium‑fast bowler is the second Pakistani to feature in the WBBL, following former captain Nida Dar, who played for Sydney Thunder in 2019. Sana holds the world record for the fastest international 50 in women’s T20 cricket and led Pakistan to a bronze medal at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi‑Nagoya, Japan.

Sana hopes crowds will turn up for women’s matches as they do for men’s. She added that she wishes more Pakistani girls could play in Australia to help grow the sport back home.

Since making her WBBL debut on October 31, Sana has taken five wickets in five matches, with a bowling economy of 7.62 runs per over, placing her joint‑10th in the most‑wickets chart. She has also played for Birmingham Phoenix in The Hundred in England.

At Perth Scorchers, Sana shares a dressing room with world‑class players such as former New Zealand captain Sophie Devine and Australian batter Beth Mooney.

Pakistan will host the next women’s T20 World Cup in 2028, the first ICC women’s event held in the country and the first to feature 12 teams. Sana believes the tournament could boost women’s participation in cricket in Pakistan. “It’s a great step by the ICC that the 2028 World Cup is taking place in Pakistan, which will encourage more women players to come forward,” she said. “When more girls watch the World Cup at home, their parents will also offer them more opportunities to play the sport.”