We'll try to win against Australia for Fatima Sana and her father: Pakistan's Muneeba Ali ahead of 2024 Women's T20 World Cup clash
Pakistan's interim captain Muneeba Ali has said her team would try to beat heavyweights Australia in the 2024 Women's T20 World Cup match on Friday for Fatima Sana and her father, who died on Thursday. Fatima, 22, left the team camp for Karachi to be with her family.
This World Cup was Fatima's first assignment as captain in T20Is as well as ICC events. The bowling all-rounder played and led admirably, with a Player of the Match performance (30 runs and two wickets) in a win against Sri Lanka and two more wickets in a losing cause against India.
"Fatima is our captain and the qualities she possesses in batting and bowling are very good and she gives our team a good balance,” Muneeba said about the impact of Fatima’s departure, as quoted by ICC. "So, obviously we will miss her as a captain and as a player, but we will try to win the match for her and her father. If we can win the match tomorrow, it would be really helpful for us as a team and for Fatima as well."
She added:
“We want to play for her and for her father – we will play a good match against Australia.”
The victory against Sri Lanka made Fatima Sana the youngest-ever Asian captain to win a Women's T20 World Cup match. Muneeba, 27, is the team's wicketkeeper and is often seen supporting Fatima with inputs during matches.
"She also said we have to play well" - Muneeba Ali on Fatima Sana
Thursday (October 10) became a day of mourning in the Pakistan camp. The players offered Fatima Sana her condolences and she also reportedly got a call for the same from Pakistan Cricket Board president Mohsin Naqvi before leaving Dubai.
"When we got to know about Fatima, we were very sad," Muneeba said in the same interview. "But she also said that we have to play well. We had the same approach, that obviously it's a sad moment for her and as a team we are also feeling the same way, but we have come here to win the match, and we have to focus on that as well.”
Pakistan have never beaten Australia in a women's T20I. The Aussies have a 13-0 lead after 16 matches.