Pakistan women's team captain Fatima Sana has become the first female cricketer from the country to sign a professional contract in The Hundred. The all-rounder has been picked by Birmingham Phoenix for the upcoming season but will miss part of Pakistan's upcoming white-ball series against Sri Lanka.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has granted the 24-year-old all-rounder a partial No Objection Certificate (NOC) to play in the English tournament. As the series against Sri Lanka overlaps with The Hundred from July 23 to August 4, she will captain Pakistan in the ODI series before missing the entire T20I leg.
Pakistan Captain Fatima Sana Set to Miss Sri Lanka T20Is for The Hundred 2026
Geo TV sports correspondent Sohail Imran shared details of Fatima Sana's availability for Pakistan's upcoming tour of Sri Lanka. He said that the Pakistan captain will play the ODI series before leaving to join Birmingham Phoenix in The Hundred. Sharing the update on X, he wrote:
"Pakistan captain Fatima Sana will play only the ODI series against Sri Lanka before joining Birmingham Phoenix for The Hundred, becoming the first Pakistani woman to feature in the tournament. She will miss the three-match T20I series."
Pakistan captain Fatima Sana will play only the ODI series against Sri Lanka before joining Birmingham Phoenix for The Hundred becoming the first Pakistani woman to feature in the tournament. She will miss the three-match T20I series. #CricketUpdates pic.twitter.com/6Am9frFYrL
— Sohail Imran (@sohailimrangeo) July 7, 2026
Pakistan will tour Sri Lanka from July 23 to August 4 for a six-match white-ball series, comprising three ODIs and three T20Is. All matches will be played at the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium in Hambantota. The ODI series will also count towards the ICC Women's Championship 2025-29.
Birmingham Phoenix Sign Pakistan Captain Fatima Sana for The Hundred 2026
Birmingham Phoenix signed Fatima Sana in the wildcard draft for the 2026 season of The Hundred, which runs from July 21 to August 16. She filled the team's fourth overseas spot after Australian all-rounder Lucy Hamilton withdrew because of workload management.
The signing marks another major milestone in Fatima's career. She recently earned a place in the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 Team of the Tournament after scoring 85 runs and taking 11 wickets during Pakistan's campaign.
The 24-year-old also impressed against South Africa at Edgbaston, where she scored an unbeaten 55 off 38 balls and returned figures of 3/16. She was reportedly upset after a Pakistan teammate's husband stayed in her hotel room during the Women's T20 World Cup.
Fatima has scored 800 runs in 63 T20Is at an average of 32.00 and a strike rate of 135.82. She has also taken 59 wickets at an average of 24.80, making her one of Pakistan's leading all-rounders.
Pakistan vs Sri Lanka Series Context
Pakistan will head into the white-ball series in good form and currently sit second in the ICC Women's Championship 2025-29 standings. They have won four of their six matches and collected eight points, giving them a strong start in the qualification race.
Sri Lanka, however, have dominated this rivalry in ODI cricket. They have won 22 of the 34 ODIs played against Pakistan, while Pakistan have won 11. One match ended without a result.
The rivalry is much closer in T20Is. Pakistan hold a slight edge with 11 wins from 21 matches, while Sri Lanka have won nine. One match ended without a result.
