Pakistan women’s cricket team defeated Bangladesh by 31 runs in the third-place playoff to secure the bronze medal at the 2026 Asian Games.
NISSHIN: Pakistan women’s cricket team bounced back from their semi-final defeat to beat Bangladesh by 31 runs and secure the bronze medal at the 2026 Asian Games on Tuesday.
In the third-place playoff at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin, Pakistan produced a disciplined all-round performance to finish on the podium after missing out on a place in the gold-medal match.
Sent in to bat first, Pakistan scored 145 for eight in 20 overs, with captain Fatima Sana making a crucial contribution of 45 runs. Her composed innings helped Pakistan build a competitive total on a challenging surface despite sustained pressure from Bangladesh’s bowlers.
Fatima’s knock proved particularly valuable as Pakistan’s batters struggled to score freely for much of the innings. The captain helped steady the innings and ensured Pakistan finished with enough runs to put Bangladesh under pressure in the chase.
Bangladesh never managed to build sufficient momentum in reply. Pakistan’s bowlers struck at key moments and restricted Bangladesh to 114 for seven in their 20 overs, securing a 31-run victory and the bronze medal.
Umm-e-Hani was the standout bowler for Pakistan, claiming three wickets for just 10 runs. Her figures were also reported as her best in Women’s T20 International cricket.
The bronze medal gave Pakistan a positive conclusion to their Asian Games campaign after their hopes of reaching the final were ended by Sri Lanka. Pakistan had advanced to the semi-finals after defeating Thailand by three wickets in a rain-affected quarter-final.
In the semi-final, Sri Lanka successfully chased Pakistan’s target of 178, winning by eight wickets and ending Pakistan’s hopes of competing for gold. Pakistan responded strongly in the third-place match, recovering from that setback to secure a place on the podium.
The bronze adds another medal to Pakistan women’s cricket history at the Asian Games. The Pakistan Cricket Board had noted before the tournament that Pakistan won gold medals in the women’s cricket events at the 2010 and 2014 Asian Games, while finishing fourth in 2022.
Pakistan’s 2026 campaign therefore ends with a bronze medal, with Fatima Sana’s 45-run innings and Umm-e-Hani’s three-wicket spell playing key roles in the victory over Bangladesh.
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