Dubai: Pakistan's women's cricket team, led by captain Fatima Sana, is set to commence their campaign in the ACC Women's T20 Asia Cup 2026 against Thailand on September 1. The tournament will begin on August 28, with the opening match featuring Thailand against Hong Kong, China.

According to Pakistan Cricket Board, the entire 15-match tournament will be held at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, with matches starting at 7:30 PM Pakistan time. Pakistan, positioned in Group A, is scheduled to face arch-rivals India on September 5 and Hong Kong, China on September 7. Group B includes defending champions Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Indonesia, and the United Arab Emirates. The semi-finals are set for September 10 and 11, with the final slated for September 13.

In preparation for the tournament, the Pakistan squad underwent a 10-day training camp at the National Cricket Academy before arriving in the United Arab Emirates on August 26. Notably, top-order batter Sadaf Shamas has replaced Najiha Alvi, who was ruled out due to a knee injury.

Pakistan's previous best performances in the Women's Asia Cup have been runner-up finishes in 2012 and 2016. In the last two editions, they reached the semi-finals. This year's tournament marks the 10th overall and the sixth in the T20 format.

The Pakistan squad includes captain Fatima Sana, Ayesha Zafar, Eman Naseer, Eyman Fatima, and others. The team is supported by an experienced coaching and support staff led by Wahab Riaz as coach and mentor.