Muneeba Ali To Miss Rest Of Asiad, Flies Back Home Due To Mother's Illness

Muneeba Ali to miss rest of Asiad, flies back home due to mothers illness (Colombo: ICC Womens World Cup : India vs Pakistan)

T20 World Cup: Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Muneeba Ali will miss the remainder of the Asian Games after flying home due to her mother's illness.

Muneeba was not part of the Playing XI for their close quarterfinal win over Thailand in the continental showpiece on Thursday, as Gull Feroza donned the gloves and also opened the batting.

Pakistan will not name a replacement for Muneeba due to logistical challenges and time constraints, as Feroza will continue to keep wicket in the senior wicketkeeper's absence. The six-day cricket tournament at the Asiad won't give enough time for a replacement.

Feroza was back opening the innings for Pakistan after playing at No.3 in the recently concluded Asia Cup, where they lost in the semifinals. Before that, she opened the innings for the Women in Green in the T20 World Cup and made a strong, unbeaten 63 in their last group-stage match.

Muneeba is a senior member of the Pakistani side and has played in 101 T20I and 65 ODI matches with over 3000 runs combined across the two formats. She has even captained Pakistan during their bilateral series against Sri Lanka in July, while Fatima Sana was playing in the Women's Hundred.

Earlier, Pakistan survived a scare from Thailand to book their place in the semifinals at the Asian Games 2026. Captain Fatima Sana made a crucial all-round contribution with two wickets and a 13-ball 21-run knock in a three-wicket win at Korogi Sports Park.

The rain-affected quarterfinal was reduced to 11 overs per side, with Thailand posting 91/4 after being asked to bat first. Nannapat Koncharoenkai anchored the innings with a 38-ball 49, while Fatima led Pakistan's bowling attack with two wickets.

Pakistan's chase began positively as Gull Feroza and Shawaal Zulfiqar added 36 runs for the opening wicket. However, Thailand fought back after the partnership was broken, with regular wickets putting Pakistan under pressure.

Fatima then walked in and played an important innings when her team needed stability. The Pakistan captain scored 21 off 13 balls before being dismissed on the first ball of the ninth over, leaving her side needing 19 runs from 17 deliveries.

Pakistan's chase began positively as Gull Feroza and Shawaal Zulfiqar added 36 runs for the opening wicket. However, Thailand fought back after the partnership was broken, with regular wickets putting Pakistan under pressure.

Pakistan entered the final over needing four runs with three wickets still in hand. Umm-e-Hani held her nerve and struck the winning runs off the fourth ball of the 11th over to complete the chase.

Article Source: IANS