Fatima Sana to skip Sri Lanka T20Is to play in women’s Hundred

Staff Report

LAHORE: Fatima Sana became the first woman from Pakistan to be picked by a Hundred team last month when she was acquired by Birmingham Phoenix. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has granted Fatima Sana permission to miss the T20I leg of Pakistan’s tour of Sri Lanka to feature for Birmingham Phoenix in the women’s Hundred. Sana will miss Phoenix’s first two fixtures in the Hundred, – which starts on July 21 – as she takes part in the ODI leg of the tour, which is part of the Women’s Championship. After the conclusion of the ODI series on July 28, Sana will travel from Hambantota to England to take part in the remainder of the Hundred. Sana, the Pakistan captain, became the first woman from her country to be picked by a Hundred team last month when she was acquired by Phoenix in the wildcard draft for the minimum salary of £15,000 as replacement for Australia’s Lucy Hamilton. A day before the draft, Sana produced a stunning all-round performance – 55 not out off 38 balls and 3 for 16 – as Pakistan ran South Africa close in a T20 World Cup match.

Sana, 24, was the only bright spark in Pakistan’s poor World Cup campaign, in which they won only one (against Netherlands) of their five matches to finish fifth in their six-team group. She finished the tournament with the most wickets for a fast bowler – 11 at an economy of 6.95. Overall, she was the second-highest wicket-taker, joint with Australia captain Sophie Molineux, with India’s N Shree Charani at the top with 14. This will be Sana’s third overseas domestic T20 tournament after she played for Barbados Royals in the women’s CPL in September 2022 and for Canterbury in the women’s Super Smash in December 2023.  A PCB official said that the decision to allow her to miss the three Sri Lanka T20Is was taken so she could benefit from the experience of playing in the competitive Hundred environment.