In the second game of the day in Southampton and of Group A as well, we will see sub-continental rivals against each other as Pakistan lock horns with Bangladesh live from Hampshire Bowl, Southampton. Both teams know a loss here will definitely mean the end of the road for them. The Women in Green take on the Women from Royal Bengal Tigress. With both teams struggling for consistency in batting, this game is critical for the battle for survival.
Pakistan, led by Fatima Sana have lost their first two games to India and South Africa, with the game against South Africa being a close one. At the same time, Bangladesh, under Nigar Sultana Joty, won against the Netherlands but lost badly to six-time champions Australia. Both teams come into this fixture with a loss under their belt, with Bangladesh ahead of Pakistan in the points table. An interesting clash awaits us at Southampton.
Overview
The road to the semi-finals is rapidly narrowing for Pakistan and Bangladesh as they prepare to clash in a high-stakes Group A encounter of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 in Southampton on Saturday. With Australia and India firmly in control of the group standings, the margin of error has virtually disappeared for both Asian sides.
Both Bangladesh and Pakistan know that a victory here could significantly boost their chances of progressing to the knockout stage. Bangladesh have registered one victory out of their two games so far, while Pakistan lost both their group games. Another defeat would bring Pakistan’s hopes of qualifying for the semis to an end. In their last game against South Africa, Pakistan fought hard and gave the Proteas a scare, but failed to secure a victory.
Batting first, Pakistan struggled with the bat and also lost two wickets in the opening over itself. The side then slipped to 50/8, and it seemed that they would not even touch the 70-run mark. The top five Pakistani batters were dismissed for a single-digit score. However, captain Fatima Sana had other plans and stitched a 71-run stand for the ninth wicket with tailender Tuba Hassan. Sana went on to score an unbeaten 55 off 38 balls. In the end, Pakistan managed 126/9 in their 20 overs.
In reply, South Africa had a much better start and reached 50 in the 7th over for the loss of just one wicket. Annerie Dercksen smashed boundaries and scored 52 off 35 balls. Things were going well at 76/2, but then the turnaround happened with Marizanne Kapp’s dismissal. The side lost six wickets and added just 50 runs. But those many runs were almost enough as the Proteas clinched a two-wicket win in the 17th over. Skipper Sana delivered with the ball and took three wickets while Tuba Hassan and Sadia Iqbal picked up two wickets apiece. Spinner Nashra Sandhu also bowled well.
Though there haven’t been any injury concerns in the Pakistani camp, there is a dilemma over Fatima Sana’s batting position. The skipper is scoring runs, but experts opine that she is coming very late in the batting order. With the Pakistani top-order not firing so far, the team management might send Sana a couple of positions up in the batting order.
Bangladesh come into the fixture having shown glimpses of their potential during the tournament. After registering a win against the Netherlands, the side was heavily beaten by an in-form Australian side. Batting first, Bangladesh managed only 77/8 in their 20 overs. Except for skipper Nigar Sultana, no Bangladeshi batter scored in the 20s. Six batters were dismissed for a single-digit score. In reply, Australia chased down the target inside 10 overs and won the game by nine wickets. Pacer Marufa Akter took the solitary wicket of the innings by dismissing Beth Mooney.
Historically, matches between these two sides have often been closely contested, but Pakistan have an overwhelming head-to-head record. However, Bangladesh have registered multiple wins in the most recent meetings. Notably, the last time Pakistan won a WT20I on English soil was way back in 2013. It remains to be seen which team comes out on top in this fixture.
Head-To-Head
Pakistan and Bangladesh have met in 20 T20Is, with Pakistan winning 16 of them and Bangladesh winning 4. In the Women’s T20 World Cup, they have met once, and Pakistan was victorious on that occasion as well. In the last 10 meetings, it’s 7-3 in favour of Pakistan, with Pakistan winning their latest clash on 29th October 2023.
Pitch & Weather Report
The pitch at Hampshire Bowl, Southampton, generally offers solid pace and bounce, with early movement available for new-ball pacers. Once the ball loses its shine and openers settle in, batting becomes significantly easier, especially square of the wicket. The par total here is around 145-155. With swing expected up front, the captain winning the toss will likely choose to bowl first, as chasing has proved favourable at this venue.
The temperature will be a mild 20-22 degrees Celsius in Southampton during the match hours. It will be largely overcast and cloudy, which will aid swing bowlers. The weather is expected to remain generally dry, with only a low threat of significant showers disrupting play. Light to moderate breezes are anticipated.
Predicted/Probable Playing XIs of both sides
Here, we will try to predict the probable playing XIs of both sides.
Pakistan XI: Muneeba Ali (wk), Gull Feroza, Ayesha Zafar, Iram Javed, Natalia Pervaiz, Aliya Riaz, Fatima Sana (c), Rameen Shamim, Tuba Hassan, Nashra Sandhu, Sadia Iqbal.
Bangladesh XI: Dilara Akter, Juariya Ferdous, Sharmin Akhter, Nigar Sultana (c & wk), Sobhana Mostary, Shorna Akter, Ritu Moni, Nahida Akter, Rabeya Khan, Sultana Khatun/Fariha Trisna, Marufa Akter.
Key Players to watch out for in this clash
Muneeba Ali: Muneeba Ali, the keeper-batter, is the backbone of the Pakistan team. Against South Africa, she fell to the first ball, and the innings collapsed. She had a decent outing against India before that. Pakistan will hope Muneeba fires and gives the Women in Green a solid start to give them a platform to post a decent total. Apart from her, the others in the team are inexperienced to say the least, which goes against them.
Fatima Sana: The Pakistan captain, Fatima Sana, was Pakistan’s saviour in the last game. With the team struggling at 50/8, she single-handedly rescued them and got them past 120 and then fired with the ball as well. She is an improved cricketer and a handy all-rounder. Pakistan will once again depend on her to do the heavy lifting and perform for her side. She and Muneeba are experienced in batting. Others lack temperament and skills.
Nigar Sultana Joty: Nigar Sultana, the Bangladesh captain, remains their best batter and one that they still depend on to score the runs. In the last game, she showed resistance against Australia, and Bangladesh will be hoping she shows more fight against the Pakistanis. If she does well, it will put Bangladesh in a decent position to perhaps win this game. It’s an important game for both teams.
Marufa Akter: She is the spearhead of the Bangladesh attack, and under helpful seamer-friendly conditions, Marufa Akter will be tasked to lead the side with the ball in hand. She is a much-improved bowler now and someone who spearheads the attack even more. Marufa is an intelligent cricketer and bowled decently in the last game despite having a paltry total to defend. She would like to do well in this game.
Key Stats and Trivia to look forward to ahead of this clash
- Bangladesh and Pakistan have faced off exactly once before in T20 World Cups- the 2016 edition, where Bangladesh lost by 9 wickets.
- Pakistan have not won more than one game at any T20 World Cup since the 2016 edition.
- The last time Pakistan won a T20I on English soil was back in 2013.
Predicted/Possible Outcome of the Match
Two unpredictable teams clash against each other in a battle of equals in the T20 format. Anything can happen. Two brittle batting line-ups and two excellent bowling line-ups. Whoever plays better on the day shall win. But looking at the overall history and pedigree of the team, we will give a slight edge to Pakistan. We feel Pakistan has enough resources to upstage Bangladesh.
Let’s see how this game pans out in Southampton, the second of the day and in Group A as well.
Also Read: ICC Women’s T20 WC 2026: Can Bangladesh Spring A Surprise?