ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024: Here's why Pakistan captain Fatima Sana will not play today's match against Australia

Fatima Sana has been a key player for Pakistan in the ongoing tournament.

Pakistan are set to face Australia in a crucial Group A clash of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 in Dubai. Sitting third in the group standings, Pakistan are in desperate need of a win to boost their chances of reaching the semifinals.

With Australia in excellent form and leading the group, Pakistan have a mountain to climb in the 14th game of the tournament.

After their impressive win against Sri Lanka in the first game of the tournament, Pakistan suffered a setback in their loss to arch-rivals India. A victory against the defending champions Australia would not only help Pakistan but would open the entire group for an exciting finish.

However, they are going to take the field without their captain Fatima Sana.

Why will Fatima Sana not play today’s match against Australia?

Pakistan captain Fatima Sana will miss the crucial encounter against Australia as she has returned home after her father passed away.

Sana has suffered a personal tragedy. The Pakistan captain has flown back to Karachi after the sudden demise of her father due to a stroke.

Her absence is a major blow for Pakistan, as she has been a key player with both bat and ball throughout the tournament.

In her place, vice-captain Muneeba Ali will take over the leadership duties for Pakistan against Australia. Sana’s return to the tournament remains uncertain, but the team will now have to regroup and face the challenge without their skipper.

Sana’s rise as a leader in Pakistan cricket

Sana made history as the youngest-ever player to lead Pakistan in a Women’s T20 World Cup, taking over the responsibility with the three T20I matches at home against South Africa. The added responsibility brought out the best in her, as she topped the run charts in the series with 101 runs. Her ability to anchor innings, as seen in her 37* off 24 balls in the opener and 37* off 23 balls in a series-levelling win, highlighted her importance for Pakistan.

Pakistan’s campaign so far

Pakistan started their campaign with a solid win over Sri Lanka, led by the brilliant all-round performance of captain Fatima Sana. However, their defeat to India has left them in a challenging position. Currently, they need to win their remaining matches to boost their semifinal hopes, making today’s clash with Australia all the more important.

Australia, on the other hand, have been in stellar form, remaining undefeated so far. With their comprehensive wins against New Zealand and Sri Lanka, they are strong title contenders going into the business end of the tournament.

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