Pakistan captain Fatima Sana produced one of the most remarkable all-round performances in the history of the Women’s T20 World Cup, becoming the first captain to score a half-century and take three wickets in the same match, although her heroics ended in heartbreak as South Africa won a thrilling contest by two wickets in Birmingham.
What do you think is more impressive about Fatima San’s achievement?
The 23-year-old entered the record books with an unbeaten 55 off just 38 deliveries and figures of 3/16, joining an elite list of players to post a 50-plus score and take three or more wickets in a Women’s T20 World Cup match. However, she became the first female captain to succeed.
Historic all-round feat lights up Birmingham
Pakistan seemed destined for an embarrassing collapse after South Africa’s pace-led attack Marizanne Kapp and Šabnim Ismail, reduced them to 50/8. Kapp struck with the first ball of the innings, leaving Pakistan staring at disaster on a sluggish surface.But Fatima refused to surrender. Along with Tuba Hassan, she put together a fighting stand of 71 runs, the best ninth-ball partnership in the history of the Women’s World T20 Cup, to drag Pakistan to a competitive 126 all out.The skipper counter-attacked late, hitting two sixes Nadine de Klerk in the final before she brought up her half-century and finished with a flourish.“We just tried to take the game deep because we know we have the ability and Tuba also has the ability. We tried to take it deep and execute our plans,” Fatima said.50+ runs and 3+ wickets in a T20 Women’s World Cup match
- (62 & 3) – Hayley Matthews v SL, Gros Islet, 2018
- (61* & 3) – Sune Luus v THA, Canberra, 2020
- (55 & 3) – Shafali Verma v NED, Leeds, 2026
- (55* & 3) – Fatima Sana v SA, Birmingham, 2026*
‘The fight was there’
Fatima then raised hopes of an incredible three-wicket save as Pakistan’s bowlers pushed South Africa to the limit in a tense chase.Despite her outstanding effort, Pakistan fell woefully short as South Africa had the guts to record a two-wicket victory — one of the narrowest victories in the history of the Women’s T20 World Cup. South Africa have now won all four World Cup encounters against Pakistan.Lowest margin of victory in WT20 World Cups (in wickets)
- In 2 weeks – ENG vs IND, Dharamsala, 2016
- From 1 wkts – ENG vs WI, Dharamsala, 2016
- Up to 2 weeks – SA vs PAK, Birmingham, 2026.*
Reflecting on the defeat, an emotional Fatima admitted that her side failed to capitalize on key moments.“I think we just couldn’t finish the game. The fight was there and the effort was there, but we couldn’t finish,” she said.Asked about enjoying the additional responsibility of captain, she replied: “I enjoy the role, but we still have to win. I’m enjoying it, but there’s still a long way to go.”Looking ahead, Fatima stressed the importance of staying composed under pressure.“We have to stay calm on the field, especially when the momentum is against us. We have to be calmer in those situations, and next time we will try to improve and perform better,” she added.
