Muneeba Ali Takes the Reins as Pakistan Debuts Without Fatima Sana

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Muneeba Ali will captain Pakistan at the ICC Women's Emerging Nations Trophy in Ajman from November 12 to 25, with Fatima Sana out due to WBBL duties with Perth Scorchers.

Pakistan is heading into the ICC Women's Emerging Nations Trophy with a new face at the helm. Muneeba Ali will captain the side in Ajman, UAE, from November 12 to 25, and the Pakistan Cricket Board confirmed a 14-player squad this week. The big storyline? Regular captain Fatima Sana won't be there. ### Why Fatima Sana Is Sitting This One Out Sana got the green light to skip the 10-team tournament because of her commitments in the Women's Big Bash League. Perth Scorchers signed her for the season, and it's her first stint in the Australian competition. That's a big deal for her career, even if it leaves Pakistan without its usual leader. Muneeba, though, isn't walking into this cold. She's captained Pakistan before, leading the side in the three-match T20I series in Sri Lanka earlier this year. Ayesha Zafar steps in as vice-captain. ### A Squad Built on Familiarity If continuity matters in tournament cricket, Pakistan has plenty of it. The selectors kept 12 players from the group that won bronze at the recent Asian Games in Japan. Sadaf Shamas and Waheeda Akhtar are back after missing that tournament, which adds fresh legs to an already settled core. Here's how the batting order shapes up: - Ayesha Zafar - Gull Feroza - Sadaf Shamas - Shawaal Zulfiqar - Eyman Fatima - Saira Jabeen Keep an eye on Eman Naseer, too. She's just 19, made her Pakistan debut in the Sri Lanka series, and already has three T20Is under her belt. Young players like her often turn these emerging tournaments into a launching pad. ### Spin Is Pakistan's Real Weapon Left-arm spinner Nashra Sandhu anchors the bowling attack. She's the only Pakistani in the ICC top 10 for women's T20I bowlers, and that experience matters in UAE conditions where the ball tends to grip and turn. Tuba Hassan, Umm-e-Hani, and Momina Riasat give the captain plenty of spin options. Tasmia Rubab and Waheeda Akhtar handle the fast-bowling duties, while Muneeba and Feroza share wicketkeeping. > "The tournament has grown from eight teams to 10 since its first edition last year, and Pakistan will make their debut as one of five Full Member nations taking part." ### Group B Won't Be a Walk in the Park The 10 teams split into two groups of five. The top three from each group move into the Super Six stage, then the semi-finals and final follow. Pakistan landed in Group B alongside defending champions Thailand, Bangladesh, the Netherlands, and Zimbabwe. They open against Bangladesh on November 12, the very first day of the tournament. No warm-up match, no easing in. Straight into the deep end against a side that knows how to compete. ### The Full Pakistan Squad - Muneeba Ali (captain, wicketkeeper) - Ayesha Zafar (vice-captain) - Eman Naseer - Eyman Fatima - Gull Feroza (wicketkeeper) - Momina Riasat - Nashra Sandhu - Sadaf Shamas - Saira Jabeen - Shawaal Zulfiqar - Tasmia Rubab - Tuba Hassan - Umm-e-Hani - Waheeda Akhtar So what should you watch for? Whether Muneeba can translate her Sri Lanka captaincy experience into tournament leadership, and whether that spin-heavy attack can handle Thailand, the team everyone's chasing. Pakistan's debut here isn't just about showing up. It's about proving the depth is real.

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