Pakistan to begin T20 World Cup campaign against India

Pakistan will open their ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 campaign against arch-rivals India on Sunday, 14 June at the Edgbaston Cricket Ground in Birmingham.

The 10th edition of the tournament, hosted by the England and Wales Cricket Board from 12 June to 5 July, marks the biggest Women’s T20 World Cup in history, with the field expanding from 10 to 12 teams.

A total of 33 matches will be played across seven venues, with the final scheduled for the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground in London on 5 July.

Pakistan have been placed in Group 1 alongside record six-time champions Australia, India, South Africa, Bangladesh and Netherlands, who will be making their first appearance at the tournament.

Group 2 features defending champions New Zealand, hosts England, 2016 winners West Indies, Sri Lanka, Ireland and Scotland. The top two sides from each group will advance to the semi-finals, scheduled for 30 June and 2 July.

Captain Fatima Sana takes charge of the side for the second successive T20 World Cup after having led the team in the 2024 edition held in the UAE. The 24-year-old all-rounder enters the tournament in extraordinary form, having set the world record for the fastest half-century in Women’s T20Is during Pakistan’s 3-0 series sweep over Zimbabwe in Karachi last month, reaching 50 off just 15 balls and breaking a record that had previously been jointly held at 18 balls.

Eyman Fatima, Rameen Shamim and Saira Jabeen are set to make their ICC Women’s T20 World Cup debut, while wicketkeeper-batter Muneeba Ali Siddiqui, opening batter Gull Feroza and seasoned campaigners Aliya Riaz, Diana Baig, Nashra Sundhu, Sadia Iqbal and Tuba Hassan are among those expected to play key roles. Iram Javed and Ayesha Zafar complete the 15-member squad.

Natalia Parvaiz and Tasmia Rubab were unused members of Pakistan’s 2018 and 2024 T20 World Cup squads, respectively.

Among the current squad, wicketkeeper-batter Muneeba Ali Siddiqui is Pakistan’s leading run-scorer at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup with 247 runs in 17 innings, including a highest score of 102 against Ireland in 2023 — the first century for Pakistan women in T20 Internationals. Left-arm spinner Nashra Sundhu tops the bowling chart among the group with 16 wickets in as many appearances, with best figures of 4 for 18, also against Ireland in the 2023 edition.

Pakistan’s preparations have featured bilateral away T20I series against South Africa, at home against Zimbabwe along with training camps and a Women’s T20I tri-series in Ireland against the hosts and West Indies from 28 May to 4 June, followed by two warm-up fixtures in Derby against Sri Lanka on 6 June and Scotland on 9 June.

Speaking to PCB Digital, team mentor Wahab Riaz said: “We have worked hard over the past few months, playing a series against Zimbabwe and facing Ireland and West Indies. This is a young and energetic group that can rise to the occasion at the World Cup.

You prepare your entire life to play in a World Cup and it is an opportunity everyone looks forward to. Our focus is on playing a fearless and positive brand of cricket. We need to believe in our hard work and the results will follow.”

Speaking about Pakistan’s group and goals, Wahab added: “Our group has some of the finest sides in the tournament and this is a good opportunity for us to start on the right track, with things getting easier as the event progresses. We have a combination of youngsters and senior players and I am confident that, given the hard work these players have put in, if they play to their potential they will deliver a top-four finish.”

Pakistan’s fixtures at ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026:

14 June v India, Edgbaston, Birmingham – 6.30pm PKT | 2.30pm local time
17 June v South Africa, Edgbaston, Birmingham – 10.30pm PKT | 6.30pm local time
20 June v Bangladesh, Hampshire Bowl, Southampton – 6.30pm PKT | 2.30pm local time
23 June v Australia, Headingley, Leeds – 10.30pm PKT | 6.30pm local time
27 June v Netherlands, Bristol County Ground, Bristol – 2.30pm PKT | 10.30am local time