Pakistan Women produced a dominant all-round performance to beat Hong Kong Women by 72 runs in their Group A clash of the Women’s Asia Cup 2026 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. After opting to bat first, Pakistan posted 143/8 in 20 overs before bowling Hong Kong out for 71 in 19 overs.
Shawaal Zulfiqar powers Pakistan to competitive total
Shawaal Zulfiqar was the standout batter for Pakistan, scoring a well-paced 47 off 35 balls. She struck six boundaries and provided the stability Pakistan needed after the early dismissal of Muneeba Ali, who made six from seven deliveries. Gull Feroza also fell cheaply for three, but Ayesha Zafar steadied the innings with a valuable 26 off 19 balls, including four fours. Sadaf Shamas struggled to accelerate and was dismissed for five, leaving Pakistan needing another push in the latter stages.
Captain Fatima Sana contributed an important 24 off 24 balls, hitting two sixes during her stay at the crease. Her effort, along with Tuba Hassan’s 14 off 13, helped Pakistan move beyond the 140-run mark. Pakistan eventually finished on 143/8, setting Hong Kong a challenging target on a surface where batting proved increasingly difficult.
Joyleen Kaur was the pick of the Hong Kong bowlers, claiming four wickets for just 19 runs from her four overs. Iqra Sahar and Kary Chan picked up two wickets each, while Marina Lamplough and Alison Siu bowled economical spells despite not finding a breakthrough.
Lamplough and Maryam Bibi scored two runs each, while Shanzeen Shahzad, Alison Siu and Iqra were dismissed without scoring. Joyleen added 10 before falling, and Ruchitha Venkatesh made nine as Hong Kong were eventually bowled out for 71 in 19 overs. Nashra Sandhu delivered a sensational spell to complete Pakistan’s emphatic victory. The left-arm spinner claimed six wickets for only seven runs in her four overs, dismantling the Hong Kong batting order and earning the Player of the Match award.
Fatima, Sadia Iqbal, Umm e Hani and Ayesha Zafar also claimed one wicket apiece as Pakistan’s bowling unit completed the job with 72 runs to spare. The convincing victory helped Pakistan seal the semi-final spot.
Pakistan secure a comfortable victory as Nashra Sandhu’s career-best spell of 6 for 7 dismantles Hong Kong for 71 ✅✨#WomensAsiaCup #NashraSandhu pic.twitter.com/kxeEaFND7E
— WomenCricket.com (@WomenCricketHQ) September 8, 2026
Source: crickettimes.com
