Muneeba Ali Takes the Reins as Pakistan Chase Emerging Nations Glory

·
Listen to this article~4 min

Muneeba Ali takes over as captain for Pakistan at the ICC Women's Emerging Nations Trophy in Ajman, UAE. Fatima Sana misses out due to WBBL duties with Perth Scorchers.

Muneeba Ali will lead Pakistan at the ICC Women's Emerging Nations Trophy, and honestly, this feels like a moment worth paying attention to. The tournament runs from November 12 to 25 in Ajman, UAE. The Pakistan Cricket Board announced a 14-player squad this week, and there's one big name missing: regular captain Fatima Sana. ### Why Fatima Sana Is Sitting This One Out Sana got the green light to skip the 10-team competition because of her Women's Big Bash League commitments. Perth Scorchers signed her for the season, which is her first stint in the Australian tournament. That's a big deal for her career. And it opens the door for Muneeba to show what she can do with the captain's armband. She's not new to the job, either. Muneeba captained Pakistan during the three-match T20I series in Sri Lanka earlier this year. Ayesha Zafar steps in as vice-captain. ### A Squad Built on Recent Success Here's something that stands out: 12 of the 14 players come from the group that won bronze at the recent Asian Games in Japan. That kind of continuity matters in a short tournament. Sadaf Shamas and Waheeda Akhtar also return after missing that event, which adds fresh legs to an already settled side. The batting order looks deep. Zafar, Gull Feroza, Shamas, Shawaal Zulfiqar, Eyman Fatima, and Saira Jabeen all feature. 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. ### The Bowling Attack Has Real Teeth Left-arm spinner Nashra Sandhu is the anchor here. She's the only Pakistani in the ICC top 10 for women's T20I bowlers, and that experience will matter against quality opposition. Tuba Hassan, Umm-e-Hani, and Momina Riasat give the side extra spin options. Tasmia Rubab and Akhtar handle the pace duties. Muneeba and Feroza will share wicketkeeping responsibilities. > "Twelve players from a bronze-medal Asian Games run is not a rebuild. It's a statement that Pakistan believes this group can compete right now." ### 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 ### Group B Won't Be a Walk in the Park The competition has grown from eight teams to 10 since its first edition last year. Pakistan makes its debut as one of five Full Member nations taking part. The 10 sides split into two groups of five. The top three from each group advance to the Super Six stage, and then it's semis and the final. Pakistan lands 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. So the tone gets set immediately. No warm-up match, no easing in. Just straight into a contest against a fellow Full Member nation. If Pakistan's Asian Games core holds form, this squad has every reason to believe it can push deep into the Super Six. The real question is whether Muneeba's leadership can turn that bronze-medal momentum into something even bigger on the UAE stage.

📌 Worth Reading Next