Muneeba Ali to captain Pakistan in Women's Emerging Nations Trophy

Muneeba Ali will captain Pakistan in the ICC Women’s Emerging Nations Trophy 2026, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on Tuesday, naming a 14-member squad for the tournament to be held in Ajman in the United Arab Emirates from November 12 to 25, Dawn and The Express Tribune reported.

Who is in the squad

Batter Ayesha Zafar has been named vice-captain. Twelve players are retained from Pakistan’s previous assignment, and Sadaf Shamas and Waheeda Akhtar have been recalled. Regular captain Fatima Sana will miss the tournament because she is going to Australia for her first season in the Women’s Big Bash League.

The squad is: Muneeba Ali Siddiqui (captain, wicketkeeper), Ayesha Zafar (vice-captain), Eman Naseer, Eyman Fatima, Gull Feroza (wicketkeeper), Momina Riasat, Nashra Sundhu, Sadaf Shamas, Saira Jabeen, Shawaal Zulfiqar, Tasmia Rubab, Tuba Hassan, Umm-e-Hani and Waheeda Akhtar.

The batting is made up of Ayesha, Eman, Eyman, Sadaf, Saira and Shawaal, with Muneeba and Gull as wicketkeeping options. Gull Feroza, who was named best wicketkeeper-batter at the recently concluded National Women’s T20 Tournament, is in the side. Left-arm spinner Nashra Sundhu will lead the bowling, with Momina, Tuba and Umm-e-Hani making up the spin attack. Tasmia Rubab and Waheeda are the two frontline pace bowlers.

The squad announcement follows Pakistan’s bronze medal at the Asian Games in Japan.

The tournament

The 30-match event features 10 teams in two groups. Pakistan are in Group B with Bangladesh, Thailand, the Netherlands and Zimbabwe. Group A consists of Sri Lanka, Ireland, Scotland, Papua New Guinea and the hosts, the UAE.

After a single-league round-robin stage, the top three teams from each group go through to a Super Six stage, in which each team plays three matches. The top two sides from that stage meet in the final on Wednesday, November 25.

Preparation and staff

The players will assemble in Lahore on November 6 and attend a training camp on November 7, 8 and 9 before leaving for the UAE. The Tribune said the support staff includes former fast bowler Wahab Riaz as mentor, Ayesha Ashar as team manager, Abdur Rehman as spin bowling coach, Umaid Asif as fast bowling coach, Abdul Majeed as fielding coach, Imran Farhat as batting coach, Waleed Ahmed as performance analyst, Moeen as strength and conditioning coach and Dur Samand as physiotherapist.

Muneeba has played in Pakistan’s recent campaigns, including the Women’s Asia Cup match against Thailand in Dubai on September 1, in which she opened the batting, according to Dawn’s photo caption.

What we know and what we don’t

What we know: the squad, the captain and vice-captain, the groups, the format and the camp dates.

What we don’t know: the match schedule for Pakistan within Group B, and whether Fatima Sana will return as captain for the next assignment. Neither report gave the playing conditions or the match times.

Why it matters

The competition gives Pakistan’s women’s side a chance to build on its Asian Games bronze medal against teams of a similar level, and gives Muneeba the captaincy in Fatima Sana’s absence. The recall of Sadaf Shamas and Waheeda Akhtar suggests the selectors want a mix of experience and recent form, and Gull Feroza’s inclusion rewards her performance in the national T20 event. What to watch next: Pakistan’s group fixtures, the preparation camp in Lahore and the opening game against a Group B opponent.

This article draws on reporting by Dawn and The Express Tribune.