Pakistan captain Fatima Sana produced one of the most remarkable all-round performances in Women’s T20 World Cup history, becoming the first skipper to score a half-century and claim three wickets in the same match, though her heroic effort ultimately ended in heartbreak as South Africa edged a thrilling contest by two wickets in Birmingham.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 register a 50-plus score and take three or more wickets in a Women’s T20 World Cup match. However, she became the first captain to accomplish the feat.
Historic all-round feat lights up Birmingham
Pakistan appeared destined for an embarrassing collapse after South Africa’s pace attack, spearheaded by Marizanne Kapp and Shabnim Ismail, reduced them to 50/8. Kapp struck with the very first ball of the innings, leaving Pakistan staring at disaster on a sluggish surface.But Fatima refused to surrender. Alongside Tuba Hassan, she stitched together a fighting 71-run stand, the highest ninth-wicket partnership in Women’s T20 World Cup history, to drag Pakistan to a competitive 126.The skipper launched a late counterattack, smashing two sixes off Nadine de Klerk in the final over before bringing up her half-century and finishing with a flourish.“We just tried to take the game deep because we know we have the capability, and Tuba has the capability as well. We tried to take it deep and execute our plans,” Fatima said.50+ scores & 3+ wickets in a Women’s T20 World Cup match
- (62 & 3) – Hayley Matthews vs SL, Gros Islet, 2018
- (61* & 3) – Sune Luus vs THA, Canberra, 2020
- (55 & 3) – Shafali Verma vs NED, Leeds, 2026
- (55* & 3) – Fatima Sana vs SA, Birmingham, 2026*
‘The fight was there’
Fatima then sparked hopes of an unlikely defence with three wickets as Pakistan’s spinners pushed South Africa to the limit in a tense chase.Despite her extraordinary effort, Pakistan fell agonisingly short as South Africa held their nerve to register a two-wicket victory — one of the narrowest wins in Women’s T20 World Cup history. South Africa have now won all four of their World Cup meetings against Pakistan.Lowest win margin in WT20 World Cups (in wickets)
- By 2 wkts – ENG vs IND, Dharamsala, 2016
- By 1 wkts – ENG vs WI, Dharamsala, 2016
- By 2 wkts – SA vs PAK, Birmingham, 2026*
Reflecting on the defeat, an emotional Fatima admitted her side failed to seize the 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 it,” she said.Asked about enjoying the additional responsibility of captaincy, she replied: “I’m enjoying the role, but we still need to win games. 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 need to stay calm in the field, especially when the momentum is against us. We need to be calmer in those situations, and we’ll try to improve and execute better next time,” she added.
