Pakistan women’s captain Fatima Sana has been granted permission by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to miss the T20I leg of the upcoming tour of Sri Lanka in order to represent Birmingham Phoenix in The Hundred, marking a landmark moment in her career. According to Cricinfo, the PCB has issued the 24-year-old all-rounder a No Objection Certificate (NOC), allowing her to prioritize the English franchise tournament while remaining available for Pakistan’s ODI commitments.
ODI duties first, The Hundred next
Sana will continue to lead Pakistan in the three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka, with the fixtures carrying significant importance in the race for qualification through the ICC Women’s Championship. However, the scheduling overlap means she will miss Birmingham Phoenix’s opening two matches in The Hundred, scheduled for July 24 and July 26, as the ODI series concludes on July 28 in Hambantota.After the final ODI, Sana is expected to travel directly to England and join Birmingham Phoenix ahead of their third fixture. As a result, she will not feature in Pakistan’s three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka, which begins on July 31.Sana’s signing with Birmingham Phoenix is a significant milestone for Pakistan women’s cricket, as she becomes the first Pakistani woman cricketer to earn a contract in The Hundred. She was picked by Birmingham Phoenix during The Hundred’s wildcard draft on a minimum salary of £15,000, taking an overseas spot that became available after Lucy Hamilton was withdrawn by Cricket Australia.
Birmingham Phoenix Women’s 2026 Roster
| Player | Role | Signing Status / Category |
|---|---|---|
| Ellyse Perry (C) | All-rounder | Retained (Overseas – Australia) |
| Alice Capsey | All-rounder | Direct Signing / Retained |
| Lauren Filer | Bowler | Direct Signing / Retained |
| Tammy Beaumont | Opening Batter | Acquired at Auction |
| Linsey Smith | Bowler | Acquired at Auction |
| Alana 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 | Bowler | Acquired at Auction |
| Phoebe Brett | Bowler | Acquired at Auction |
| Jemima Spence | Wicketkeeper-Batter | Acquired at Auction |
| Esmae MacGregor | Bowler | Acquired at Auction |
| Annerie Dercksen | All-rounder | Acquired at Auction (Overseas – South Africa) |
| Eve O’Neill | Bowler | 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) |
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