The National Women’s T20 tournament ended with Sidra Amin-led Stars defeating Fatima Sana’s Conquerors in the final last Saturday at the National Bank Stadium, Karachi.
In the final, the Stars secured a commanding 42-run victory over the Conquerors. After opting to bat first upon winning the toss, the Stars posted a competitive total of 135 for 5. The 29-year-old Sana Urooj led the charge with a composed 44 off 37 balls, showcasing her class. On the bowling front for the Conquerors, Nashra Sundhu and Mahnoor Aftab impressed by picking up two wickets apiece.
In reply, the Conquerors were bowled out for 93 runs in 19.4 overs, with Dua Majid top-scoring with 29 runs off 30 balls. For the Stars, Anosha Nasir delivered a key spell, taking 3 wickets for 14 runs, including the crucial scalps of Dua Majid and Najiha Alvi.
Having already beaten the Conquerors in the National One-Day Cup last December, the Stars once again came out on top in the National T20 Cup, clinching their second title as a team. Sidra Amin captained the Stars in both tournaments and was their standout batter on both occasions.
Since the launch of the Champions Cup format by the PCB last year, women’s domestic cricket has also adopted a five-team structure featuring the Conquerors, Stars, Strikers, Challengers, and Invincibles. In December, ahead of the National Women’s One-Day Tournament, a player draft was reportedly held, allowing the five captains to select their squads — a move aimed at boosting competition among the teams. More than half of the squad members in the T20 tournament were retained from the One-Day competition.
In this year’s National Women’s T20 Tournament, the PCB introduced an exciting new twist to the format — a qualifier match between the second and third-placed teams on the points table. Unlike the One-Day Cup, where the top two teams after the group stage directly advanced to the final, the T20 format saw only the table-toppers, the Conquerors, earn an automatic spot in the final. The teams finishing second (Stars) and third (Challengers) faced off in a high-stakes qualifier to determine the second finalist. This minor change added significant intrigue to the competition, keeping the qualification race alive until the very last day of group stage.
On the final day of the group stage, the National Women’s T20 tournament delivered two decisive clashes — Stars vs Conquerors and Challengers vs Strikers. In the first game, Conquerors held the top spot, but Stars had a chance to leapfrog them and directly qualify for the final by chasing the target within 14 overs. In the second game, Challengers were positioned third, yet Strikers still had a shot at clinching a qualifier spot if they defeated the Challengers and chased the total before the 19th over. With four of the five teams in contention for qualification till the very last day, the level of excitement and competitiveness this revamped format and balanced player distribution brought to women’s domestic cricket was truly remarkable.
In the group stage of the tournament, Conquerors topped the table, securing 5 wins out of 8 matches. Stars also registered 5 victories but finished second due to a lower Net Run Rate (NRR). Challengers, with an equal number of wins, claimed the third spot on the points table. Meanwhile, Strikers managed to win 3 games, while Invincibles finished at the bottom, managing just 2 wins.
Stars, who clinched the tournament title, heavily relied on their captain Sidra Amin, who finished as the second-highest run-scorer of the tournament with 346 runs at an average of 43.2 and a strike rate of 130. Alongside Sidra, two other standout performers with the bat were the openers Huraina Sajjad, who scored 170 runs, and Sana Urooj, who added 167 runs. Their aggressive approach during the powerplay proved to be a game-changer, especially Huraina, who emerged as the most explosive opener in terms of strike rate across the competition. Experienced campaigner Sidra Nawaz and all-rounder Tuba Hassan made vital contributions with the bat. Sidra’s composed knock in the Qualifier anchored the innings, while Tuba’s explosive 35 off 24 balls helped lift the Stars to a competitive total — both innings proving crucial in keeping their title hopes alive.
In the bowling department, left-arm spinner Anosha Nasir was the standout performer for the Stars, clinching the Joint Bowler of the Tournament award. She claimed 15 wickets at an average of 14.73 and an impressive economy rate of 5.82, with four of those wickets coming in the crucial knockout games — the Qualifier and the Final. Among the Stars’ bowling arsenal, Tuba Hassan and Waheeda Akhter also made their mark, finishing as the third and fourth highest wicket-takers of the tournament with 13 and 12 wickets, respectively.
However, it was emerging off-spinner Fatima Zahra who delivered a match-winning spell in the high-pressure Qualifier against the Challengers. With 24 runs needed off 18 balls and six wickets in hand, Fatima turned the game on its head — conceding just five runs and taking the key wickets of Gull Rukh and Yusra Amir in a single over. Earlier in the same match, she dismissed the well-set Sadaf Shamas, ending with figures of 3 for 15 in just 2 overs, and rightly earned the Player of the Match award.
She followed that up with another economical performance in the Final, conceding just 16 runs in her 4 overs and picking up a wicket, solidifying her emergence as a promising talent.
Conquerors, who finished the tournament as runners-up, were largely powered by the brilliance of their captain Fatima Sana, who emerged as the top run-scorer of the tournament. She amassed 347 runs at an outstanding average of 57.83 and a strike rate of 163.68, making her the backbone of the Conquerors’ batting lineup. In matches where Fatima failed to fire, the team visibly struggled to build competitive totals.
The next best contributor with the bat was Najiha Alvi, who scored 178 runs, making her the only other Conquerors batter to cross the 150-run mark. Saira Jabeen followed with 136 runs, but the gap between her and the top two highlights the heavy dependence on Fatima Sana.
In the bowling department, Nashra Sundhu stood out as Conquerors’ most effective bowler, finishing as their highest wicket-taker and the fifth overall in the tournament, with 11 wickets at an average of 16.64 and an economy rate of 5.72. Humna Bilal also made a mark with the new ball — her most memorable spell came against the Stars, where she bowled three overs for just two runs, claiming a wicket and applying significant pressure early on.
Spinners Aroob Shah and Mahnoor Fatima provided crucial support, taking 10 and 6 wickets respectively across the tournament. Fatima Sana also contributed with the ball, picking up 10 wickets at an average of 21.10 and an economy of 7.32 — a respectable return, though below her usual high standards. Overall, Fatima shone brilliantly as a batter, led admirably as captain, and delivered an average campaign as a bowler — but her all-round impact remained pivotal to Conquerors’ run to the final.
Challengers, who were knocked out in the Qualifier by the Stars, heavily relied on the all-round brilliance of their captain Rameen Shamim. Rameen had a phenomenal tournament, finishing as the leading wicket-taker with 16 wickets in 9 matches, averaging 11.31 with an impressive economy rate of 5.03. With the bat, she also made significant contributions, scoring 149 runs at an average of 49.67 and a strike rate of 143.27. Time and again, she delivered in crunch moments — picking up vital wickets and playing quick, impactful cameos to guide the Challengers in close run-chases.
Among the notable batting contributors, Aliya Riaz and Natalia Pervaiz had solid campaigns. Aliya accumulated 245 runs at an average of 30.63 with a strike rate of 113.43, while Natalia added 201 runs at an average of 22.33 and a strike rate of 111.67.
Sadaf Shamas also stood out as a genuine all-rounder for the Challengers, scoring 199 runs at an average of 22.11 and a strike rate of 104.74, while also claiming 9 wickets in her 9 appearances.
In the pace department, Zaib-un-Nisa, a promising 20-year-old pacer, delivered consistently, finishing with 9 wickets in 9 games, showcasing her potential as a future asset for Pakistan’s bowling attack.
The new standout performer to emerge from the Challengers camp during the National Women’s T20 tournament was left-arm spinner, Rabia Rani. She impressed with her control and accuracy, finishing with 9 wickets in 6 games at an excellent average of 12.33 and an economy rate of just 4.83.
Her most remarkable performance came in an important final group stage match against the Strikers, where she delivered a sensational spell, conceding only 1 run in 4 overs, picking up 3 wickets, and bowling three maiden overs — a spell that played a crucial role in securing the Challengers’ place in the next stage of the tournament.
The Strikers were led by young right-handed opener Gul Feroza, who came into the tournament with high expectations. The 26-year-old was the leading run-scorer for Multan Women in last year’s six-team National T20 tournament and was expected to be the backbone of Strikers’ batting. However, she struggled to find form throughout the tournament, managing only 154 runs in 7 matches at an average of 25.67 and a strike rate of 98.09.
The Strikers’ batting heavily relied on Eyman Fatima, who was the standout performer. In all three of Strikers’ wins, Eyman played match-winning knocks. She scored an unbeaten 42 off 31 balls in Match 1 against Invincibles to successfully chase 135 in the final over. She followed it up with an explosive 74 not out off 39 deliveries against the same side in the return fixture, chasing 144 in just 18 overs.
Eyman finished the tournament as Strikers’ top run-scorer with 287 runs in 8 matches, averaging 71.75 at a strike rate of 155.14. The third best was Noreen Yaqoob, who contributed 132 runs in 7 matches, providing some stability in the middle order.
Strikers faced multiple challenges throughout the tournament, including uncertainties around their batting order, identifying their best playing XI, and establishing a reliable strike bowler. In the first four matches — of which they managed to win only one — the Strikers experimented with a different opening pair in every game. They tried Aleena, Soha, and Ayesha Bilal at the top.
However, in the final four games, Noreen Yaqoob, who had previously batted at positions 7, 5, and 7 in her first three matches, was promoted to open the innings. She made an immediate impact, scoring 115 runs off 93 balls as an opener across those games.
The middle-order combinations were equally inconsistent. In one match, Umm-e-Hani was surprisingly promoted to number 4 — a position typically occupied by Eyman Fatima, who was in sensational form. In another game, Diana Baig was sent in at number 5, raising further questions about the team’s strategic decisions.
Strikers didn’t just struggle with their batting combinations — their bowling strategy was also inconsistent throughout the tournament. One glaring example was the underutilization of Zunash Sattar, a promising right-arm leg-spinner. In the first game, she was given just one over. In the second match, she was introduced after the 10th over when the Invincibles’ openers had already built a solid partnership at 75/0. Remarkably, she struck immediately — removing Muneeba Ali in her first over and set batter Saiqa Riaz in her second. Despite this impact, she bowled only two overs in that match.
In the fourth game, she wasn’t brought on until the 14th over when Challengers were cruising at 105/2 with Aliya Riaz and Natalia Pervaiz well-set. Once again, Zunash delivered — dismissing Aliya in her first over and in-form batter Rameen Shamim in her second. She ended with impressive figures of 3 overs, 13 runs, 3 wickets, including a maiden over.
In the fifth game, she was picked in the playing XI but didn’t bowl at all — reportedly because there were already “enough” bowling options, highlighting further issues in Strikers’ team selection and tactical planning.
Statistically, Noreen Yaqoob emerged as Strikers’ most effective bowler, claiming 10 wickets in 7 matches at an average of 14.10 and an economy of 6.82. Zunash Sattar — despite bowling just 13 overs in seven games — was the second-best bowler with 6 wickets at an average of 15.17. Diana Baig followed with 6 wickets across 8 matches.
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Invincibles, who finished at the bottom of the group stage with just two wins, were led by Pakistan’s experienced left-handed opener Muneeba Ali. On paper, the Invincibles appeared to be one of the most formidable batting sides before the tournament began, boasting names like Omaima Sohail, Iram Javed, and Ayesha Zafar — all with significant international experience.
However, their batting line-up often collapsed under pressure, and several senior players struggled to perform consistently. Despite the team’s overall struggles, Muneeba Ali emerged as the top scorer for the Invincibles, amassing 317 runs at an average of 39.63 and a strike rate of 119.62. Ayesha Zafar followed with a solid contribution of 250 runs at an average of 31.25 and a strike rate of 123.15.
Omaima Sohail had a modest tournament, scoring 162 runs in 8 matches, while Iram Javed endured a disappointing run, managing just 89 runs across the same number of games. Ultimately, the Invincibles’ batting unit — despite its experience — underdelivered and was a key factor in their underwhelming campaign.
In their second match of the tournament, Invincibles were cruising at 102/2 in the 13th over but collapsed dramatically to finish at 134 in 20 overs, managing just 32 runs in the final 7 overs. It was a missed opportunity to post a 150+ total — a score that could have potentially challenged Strikers, who chased down the target in the final over.
A similar pattern unfolded in their fourth match, which they eventually won against Challengers. Chasing 146, Invincibles appeared to be on track before another batting collapse put them under pressure. However, Iram Javed delivered in the clutch, smashing 10 runs off the last 2 balls to tie the match. In the Super Over, left-arm pacer Neha Sharmin held her nerve and defended 13 runs against Aliya Riaz and Sadaf Shamas, securing Invincibles’ first win of the tournament.
In their fifth match, the bowling unit once again came to the rescue, restricting Conquerors to just 107 runs in 20 overs. Neha Sharmeen starred with the ball again, producing a match-winning spell of 3 wickets for just 14 runs in 4 overs, reaffirming her growing reputation as a dependable bowler under pressure.
In the bowling department, Invincibles were led by two standout performers — left-arm spinner Saima Malik and left-arm pacer Neha Sharmeen. Saima impressed with 11 wickets in 8 matches, maintaining an average of 16.91 and an economy rate of 6.64. Neha also made a significant impact, claiming 9 wickets in 7 matches at an average of 18.89 and an economy of 6.62. The third-best contributor with the ball was Omaima Sohail, who chipped in with 8 wickets in 8 matches.
Most runs
1. Fatima Sana (Conquerors) – 347 runs | Avg: 57.83 | SR: 163.68
2. Sidra Amin (Stars) – 346 runs | Avg: 43.25 | SR: 130.08
3. Muneeba Ali (Invincibles) – 317 runs | Avg: 39.63 | SR: 119.62
4. Eyman Fatima (Strikers) – 287 runs | Avg: 71.75 | SR: 155.14
5. Ayesha Zafar (Invincibles) – 250 runs | Avg: 31.25 | SR: 123.15
Most wickets
1. Rameen Shamim (Challengers) – 16 wickets | Avg: 11.31 | Econ: 5.03
2. Anosha Nasir (Stars) – 15 wickets | Avg: 14.73 | Econ: 5.82
3. Tuba Hassan (Stars) – 13 wickets | Avg: 16.77 | Econ: 5.61
4. Waheeda Akhtar (Stars) – 12 wickets | Avg: 16.50 | Econ: 5.03
5. Nashra Sundhu (Conquerors) – 11 wickets | Avg: 16.64 | Econ: 5.72
Awards
Player of the tournament – @imfatimasana (347 runs & 10 wickets in nine games)
Best Batter – @SidraAmin31 (346 runs in 10 games)
Best Bowler – @Shamimrameen (16 wickets in nine games) and Anosha Nasir (15 wickets in 10 games)
Best Wicketkeeper – @SidraNawaz22 (15 dismissals & 160 runs in 10 games)
Team of the tournament (In my opinion)
1. Ayesha Zafar
2. Sadaf Shamas
3. Sidra Amin (C)
4. Eyman Fatima
5. Fatima Sana
6. Tuba Hassan
7. Sidra Nawaz (WK)
8. Rameen Shamim
9. Anosha Nasir
10. Waheeda Akhtar
11. Nashra Sundhu
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