Nisshin, September 22, 2026: Umm-e-Hani produced a superb three-wicket spell while captain Fatima Sana hit a counter-attacking 45 as Pakistan defeated Bangladesh by 31 runs to claim the bronze medal in the women’s cricket competition at the Asian Games on Tuesday.
Pakistan, after posting 145 for eight, restricted Bangladesh to 114 for seven in their 20 overs, with Umm-e-Hani conceding just 10 runs in four overs, including a wicket-maiden.
The bronze marked Pakistan’s third medal in women’s cricket at the Asian Games, following gold-medal victories in 2010 and 2014. It also provided redemption after Pakistan lost the bronze-medal match to Bangladesh at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou.
Pakistan appeared in danger of posting a modest total after losing five wickets for 21 runs to slip from 46 without loss to 67 for five. Fatima, however, changed the course of the innings with an aggressive 30-ball 45, hitting three fours and three sixes.
She added 67 from 43 balls with Aliya Riaz, who scored 25 off 22 balls with two sixes and a four. Pakistan accelerated late in the innings to add 55 runs in the final five overs.
Fatima’s innings added to a prolific year in T20Is. She entered the match as Pakistan’s leading run-scorer in women’s T20Is in 2026 and took her tally to 540 runs with Tuesday’s knock. She also remains the country’s leading wicket-taker in the format this year.
Earlier, Pakistan made a steady start after Fatima won the toss and elected to bat, with Gull Feroza and Shawaal Zulfiqar putting on 46 in 6.4 overs. Gull scored 31 off 23 balls, including six fours, while Shawaal contributed 17.
Bangladesh then fought back strongly, with Nahida Akter, Shorna Akter and Ritu Moni taking two wickets each, but Fatima and Aliya rebuilt the innings before Pakistan accelerated in the closing overs.
Pakistan’s defence began emphatically as Umm-e-Hani and Tasmia Rubab reduced Bangladesh to 20 for three inside five overs. Umm-e-Hani removed Juairiya Ferdous in her first over before Tasmia dismissed Dilara Akter for 12. Umm-e-Hani then struck again to remove Sobhana Mostary.
Saira Jabeen took all three catches in the early exchanges, including a spectacular effort at the cover boundary to dismiss Dilara.
Bangladesh captain Nigar Sultana and Sharmin Akhter briefly revived their team’s hopes with a 47-run fourth-wicket partnership. Nigar scored 25 off 30 balls, while Sharmin remained unbeaten on 46 from 45 balls.
Ayesha Zafar ended the partnership by trapping Nigar leg-before in the 14th over. Umm-e-Hani and Fatima then struck in successive overs to remove Shorna Akter and Ritu Moni.
Umm-e-Hani’s dismissal of Shorna for six gave her career-best T20I figures of three for 10, surpassing her previous best of two for 28 against Sri Lanka in Dambulla earlier this year.
Nashra Sandhu removed Rabeya Khan for Bangladesh’s seventh wicket at 93, effectively ending their chase. Fatima also took the wicket of Ritu Moni, taking her tally to 31 T20I wickets in 2026.
Pakistan had begun their Asian Games campaign with a three-wicket victory over Thailand in the quarter-final before suffering an eight-wicket defeat against Sri Lanka in the semi-final.
India retain women’s cricket gold
India secured the gold medal after routing Sri Lanka by 147 runs in the final.
Batting first, India posted 216 for three, with Smriti Mandhana scoring 79 off 45 balls and Shafali Verma making 48 off 29. Wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh then produced a late assault, smashing 49 off 22 balls.
Sri Lanka were bowled out for 69, with only three batters reaching double figures.
Deepti Sharma led India’s bowling with three wickets for just six runs in four overs, including a maiden. Shafali claimed the first two wickets while conceding only three runs in her two overs.
Shree Charani and Shreyanka Patil took two wickets each, with Patil dismissing Kaushini Nuthyangana to seal India’s successful defence of the gold medal they won at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games.
Sri Lanka took silver, completing the podium alongside gold medallists India and bronze winners Pakistan.
