Muneeba Ali Takes the Reins as Pakistan Debut in Emerging Nations Trophy

Dr. Annelies De Vos · 2026-10-30

Muneeba Ali is stepping up to lead Pakistan at the ICC Women's Emerging Nations Trophy, and it's a moment worth paying attention to. The tournament runs from November 12 to 25 in Ajman, UAE, and the Pakistan Cricket Board confirmed a 14-player squad this week. The big headline? Regular captain Fatima Sana won't be there. ### Why Fatima Sana Is Sitting This One Out You might be wondering why Pakistan's regular skipper is missing such a significant competition. The answer is simple: the Women's Big Bash League comes calling. Sana got the green light to skip the 10-team event because Perth Scorchers signed her for the season. It's actually her first stint in the Australian tournament, which is a big deal for her career. So while Pakistan loses its captain, the PCB clearly sees the long game here. Letting a player grow on that stage? Smart move. ### Muneeba Ali Isn't New to This Job Here's the thing about Muneeba stepping in: she's done it before. She captained Pakistan in the three-match T20I series in Sri Lanka earlier this year. So this isn't a rookie walking into a leadership role blind. Ayesha Zafar will serve as her vice-captain, and the two of them already know how to work together. There's a real sense of continuity here rather than disruption. ### A Squad Built on Recent Success When you look at this group, the selectors clearly valued momentum. Twelve of the 14 players come from the squad that won bronze at the recent Asian Games in Japan. That kind of shared experience matters when you're playing in a new competition. Sadaf Shamas and Waheeda Akhtar are back after missing that tournament, which adds fresh depth to an already tested core. Here's what the batting order looks like: - 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 talent like that tends to surprise people. ### The Bowling Attack Has Real Teeth Left-arm spinner Nashra Sandhu anchors the bowling unit, and she's the most experienced of the bunch. Here's a stat that stands out: she's the only Pakistani in the ICC top 10 for women's T20I bowlers. That's not nothing. Tuba Hassan, Umm-e-Hani, and Momina Riasat give the side plenty of spin options. Tasmia Rubab and Waheeda Akhtar handle the pace duties. And behind the stumps, Muneeba and Gull Feroza share wicketkeeping responsibilities. As the old cricket saying goes, "Catches win matches, but a balanced attack wins tournaments." Pakistan seems to have taken that to heart. ### Group B Won't Be a Walk in the Park The tournament has grown from eight teams to 10 since its first edition last year. Pakistan enters as one of five Full Member nations making their debut. The 10 sides split into two groups of five, with the top three from each moving into the Super Six stage before the semifinals and 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 competition. No easing in, then. ### 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 Bottom line: Pakistan walks into this tournament with a captain who's already worn the armband, a squad fresh off an Asian Games medal, and a point to prove in their debut appearance. The Bangladesh opener should tell us plenty about where this team stands.