Muneeba to miss Asian Games after flying home for mother's illness
Muneeba Ali didn't play in Pakistan's opening game against Thailand • Asian Cricket Council
Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Muneeba Ali has flown home and won't participate in the ongoing women's cricket at Asian Games 2026 in Japan. Muneeba flew home due to her mother's illness and the PCB won't name a replacement for her because of logistical challenges and time constraints for a tournament is being played in a knockout format and will be over by September 22.
Gull Feroza will keep wicket in Muneeba's absence - as she did in their opening game against Thailand - for the tournament and also opened the batting. Feroza was otherwise Pakistan's No. 3 during the recent Asia Cup in Dubai. During the T20 World Cup before that, Feroza had also opened the batting with Muneeba and had signed off with an unbeaten 63 in their last league game against Netherlands.
Muneeba is among the senior players in the Pakistan squad and was the only batter from her side to score a half-century in the Asia Cup. She also led them in the bilateral T20Is against Sri Lanka in July, when regular captain Fatima Sana was away in the UK to represent Birmingham Phoenix at the Women's Hundred.
Two-time gold medalists Pakistan survived a scare on the opening day of the Asian Games when they just about managed to chase down 92 in 11 overs in a rain-curtailed quarter-final against Thailand. They got home with three wickets and two balls to spare and will face the winner of Sri Lanka vs Malaysia in the semi-final on Saturday. The two remaining quarter-finals will be played on Friday.
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