Pakistan Captain Fatima Sana's Cold Send-Off To Shafali Verma In Women's Asia Cup Draws Sharp Response. Watch
Pakistan's challenge ended in a whimper as Harmanpreet Kaur-led India romped to a seven-wicket win in a Women's Asia Cup match in Dubai on Saturday
- Pakistan was bowled out for 55 by India's spin quartet in the Women's Asia Cup match
- India won by seven wickets to extend their T20I winning streak over Pakistan to five
- Fatima Sana dismissed Shafali Verma for Pakistan's first wicket and then gave the India star a send-off
Pakistan's challenge ended in a whimper as Harmanpreet Kaur-led India romped to a seven-wicket win in a Women's Asia Cup match in Dubai on Saturday. History had offered little comfort to Pakistan coming into Saturday's clash in the 2026 Women's Asia Cup, having dropped four consecutive fixtures to their neighbours across formats. Shafali Verma set an explosive tone for the paltry 56-run chase by launching the very first delivery from Sadia Iqbal over long-off for a six. Shafali also became the youngest batter to reach 3,000 runs in women's T20Is at 22 years and 220 days, as well as the fastest in terms of balls faced (2,182).
Pakistan captain Fatima Sana mounted a spirited fightback when she removed Shafali (12) by extracting a soft leading edge, completed via a caught-and-bowled dismissal, before getting Pratika Rawal (4) caught behind.
After dismissing Shafali, Fatima gave her a cold send-off. It drew a strong reaction on the internet.
— pctstorage (@pctstorage_) September 5, 2026
Yo Fatima Sana, your send off is nothing. Shafali has seen enough from Katherine Brunt, she's cool with silly ones. :)
— Niranjana (@ninjawrites26) September 5, 2026
The audacity to throw a “send-off” after getting all out for 55 in 18 overs, only for India to chase it down in 8 overs. At this point, Pakistani teams aren't just finding ways to lose, they're just exploring new and innovative ways to embarrass themselves.
— Vipin Tiwari (@Vipintiwari952) September 5, 2026
But credit where it's… pic.twitter.com/YOchByCjOr
Fatima struck again in her second over by trapping Smriti Mandhana lbw after the opener hit her for a boundary, leaving India at 29/3 in the fourth over. The three-wicket burst made Fatima just the fourth bowler from a Full Member nation to take three wickets in the powerplay of a women's T20I twice in her career.
However, captain Harmanpreet and Deepti Sharma steadied the chase without further alarms. The duo took their time before Deepti released the pressure in the seventh over by stepping out to loft left-arm spinner Nashra Sandhu over mid-wicket for four.
Harmanpreet and Deepti carefully made the remaining runs by using soft hands and quick running to keep the scoreboard ticking. Harmanpreet then capped off the win in style in the ninth over, after surviving a chance that just evaded an outstretched Fatima at mid-on for four.
Yet, as 22 players lined up under oppressive, humid conditions to square off on a fresh pitch offering grip and sharp turn, it seemed set for a battle of attrition. Instead, India's lethal spin quartet of N. Sree Charani, Prema Rawat, Shafali Verma and Deepti Sharma delivered a tactical bowling masterclass to bundle out Pakistan for a paltry 55 and lay the foundation for a seven-wicket victory to sign off from the league stage.
The quartet proved to be unplayable, as the relentless spin unit consistently deceived the Pakistani batters with flight and forced them into playing loose off-side strokes outside their reach.
For Pakistan, barring openers Shawaal Zulfiqar and Muneeba Ali, none of the batters reached double figures, as they went from 27/0 to 55 all out, and that insipid batting made the contest a one-sided affair yet again, with India registering their fifth consecutive T20I win over their arch-rivals.
With IANS inputs
Pakistan Cricket Team
India Cricket Team