SOUTHAMPTON: Pakistan captain Fatima Sana admitted that she did not bat at the Rose Bowl on Saturday after suffering a heartbreaking 23-run loss to Bangladesh in the 15th match of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026.
Chasing a modest target of 124, the Green Shirts got off to a flying start as their opening pair Gul Feroza and Muneeba Ali put on a 49-run partnership, both of whom were quick victims to Nahida Akhtar.
Their back-to-back dismissals sparked a match-defining slump that saw Pakistan lose six more wickets for just 26 off 47 balls, which saw them slump to 84/8 in 17.1 overs.
Tailanders Nashra Sandhu (nine) and Dasmiya Rupab (seven) scored 16 runs in their back-order, but their efforts were not enough to secure a miraculous victory.
Reflecting on her team’s performance, Pakistan captain Fatima blamed the batting unit for the defeat, which was the third in a row at the 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup, insisting that senior players should step up and take responsibility in such situations.
“I think we didn’t hit the mark with the bat. The senior players have to step up and take charge in such situations,” Fatima said in the post-match briefing.
“We will sit together and try to discuss these things and try to change our thoughts. It is about thoughts, not skill. We will try to be skillful in our mindset,” he added.
It is pertinent to mention that Pakistan, fifth in the Group 1 standings of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026, have a relatively higher net run rate than bottom-placed Netherlands when they face Australia in their next league-level match at Leeds on June 23.