Pakistan women’s captain Fatima Sana has been given permission by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to miss the T20I leg of the upcoming tour of Sri Lanka to represent Birmingham Phoenix in The Hundred, marking a significant moment in her career. According to Cricinfo, the PCB has issued the 24-year-old all-rounder a No Objection Certificate (NOC), allowing him to prioritize the English franchise tournament while remaining available for ODI commitments in Pakistan.
ODI duties first, The Hundred next
Sana will continue to lead Pakistan in the three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka, with the fixtures of crucial importance in the race for qualification through the ICC Women’s Championship. However, overlapping scheduling means he will miss Birmingham Phoenix’s opening two matches in The Hundred, scheduled for July 24 and July 26, while the ODI series ends on July 28 in Hambantota.After the last ODI, Sana is expected to travel directly to England and join Birmingham Phoenix ahead of their third match. Due to this, he will miss Pakistan’s three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka, which starts on July 31.Sana’s signing with Birmingham Phoenix is a significant milestone for women’s cricket in Pakistan, as she became the first Pakistani female cricketer to secure a contract with The Hundred. Birmingham Phoenix picked her up during The Hundred’s wildcard draft on a minimum salary of £15,000, taking up an overseas spot that became available after Lucy Hamilton was withdrawn by Cricket Australia.
The Birmingham Phoenix Women’s 2026 Roster
| Players: | Role: | Signing Status / Category: |
|---|---|---|
| Ellyse Perry (C) | All-rounder | Retained (Overseas – Australia) |
| Alice Capsey | All-rounder | Direct Signing / Retained: |
| Lauren Filer | Bowlers: | Direct Signing / Retained: |
| Tammy Beaumont | Opening Batter: | Acquired at Auction |
| Linsey Smith | Bowlers: | Acquired at Auction |
| Alan King: | Bowling All-rounder | Acquired at Auction (Overseas – Australia) |
| Emma Lamb: | All-rounder | Acquired at Auction |
| Davina Perrin | Top-order Batter: | Acquired at Auction |
| Cordelia Griffith | Top-order Batter: | Acquired at Auction |
| Eva Gray | Bowlers: | Acquired at Auction |
| Phoebe Brett | Bowlers: | Acquired at Auction |
| Jemima Spence | Wicketkeeper-Batter | Acquired at Auction |
| Esmae McGregor | Bowlers: | Acquired at Auction |
| Annerie Dercksen | All-rounder | Acquired at Auction (Overseas – South Africa) |
| Eve O’Neill | Bowlers: | Acquired at Auction |
| Fatima Sana | All-rounder | Vitality Wildcard Draft (Overseas – Pakistan) |
| Mary Taylor | All-rounder | Vitality Wildcard Draft |
| Lucy Hamilton | All-rounder | Withdrawn (Overseas – Australia) |