Pakistan secured the bronze medal in the Women’s Asian Games 2026 with a 31-run victory over Bangladesh, powered by captain Fatima Sana’s all-round contribution and a superb spell from offspinner Umm-e-Hani.
Pakistan posted 145 for 8 after choosing to bat, with Sana top-scoring with 45 off 30 balls and Gull Feroza adding 31. Bangladesh were then restricted to 114 for 7, despite an unbeaten 46 from Sharmin Akter. Umm-e-Hani was the standout bowler, finishing with 3 for 10 from four overs, including a maiden.
Pakistan Recover After Middle-Order Collapse
Pakistan made a solid start through openers Shawaal Zulfiqar and Gull Feroza, who added 46 runs for the first wicket. The partnership ended in the seventh over when Nahida Akter removed Feroza for 31 off 23 balls.
From there, Pakistan lost control through the middle overs and slipped to 67 for 5 in the 12th over. Zulfiqar made 17 off 27 balls before becoming the third wicket to fall, while Shorna Akter struck twice to deepen the collapse.
Sana then took charge of the innings. She combined with Aliya Riaz for a crucial 67-run sixth-wicket partnership from just 43 deliveries. Riaz contributed 25 off 22 balls, while Sana accelerated with 45 from 30, helping Pakistan recover from a difficult position and reach 145 for 8.
The pair struck five sixes between them, completely shifting the momentum after Bangladesh had controlled much of the first half of the innings.
For Bangladesh, Shorna Akter returned figures of 2 for 16, Nahida Akter took 2 for 21, and Ritu Moni picked up 2 for 27.
Bangladesh Chase Never Gets Going
Bangladesh struggled from the outset in pursuit of 146. By the fifth over, they had slipped to 20 for 3 and were already facing an uphill task.
Umm-e-Hani made the early breakthroughs, striking in the third and fifth overs before returning later to claim another wicket in the 16th. Her spell left Bangladesh under constant pressure and prevented the chase from gaining any momentum.
Nigar Sultana and Sharmin Akter tried to rebuild with a 47-run partnership, but regular wickets continued to hurt Bangladesh’s progress. Five batters were dismissed for single-digit scores, making it difficult to construct the partnerships required for a successful chase.
Sharmin remained unbeaten on 46 off 45 balls, but she received little support from the rest of the lineup.
Bangladesh also struggled with dot-ball pressure. They faced 43 dot balls in the innings, an improvement from the 61 they played out against India in the semi-final, but still enough to restrict their scoring rate.
Pakistan, by comparison, had faced 48 dot balls earlier, but Sana’s strike rate of 150.00 proved decisive in lifting the total towards 150.
Pakistan Recover Strongly to Seal Bronze
With Bangladesh at 77 for 5 in the 16th over, the required rate had become too steep. Sharmin continued to resist, but Pakistan maintained control and closed out the match without difficulty.
Sana’s 45 and one wicket, combined with Umm-e-Hani’s 3 for 10, ensured Pakistan finished the tournament with a bronze medal after a convincing 31-run win.
