Asian Games 2026: Pakistan women win bronze after beating Bangladesh by 31 runs

Pakistan women won the bronze medal at the Asian Games after beating Bangladesh by 31 runs in the third-place clash at the Korogi Sports Park on Tuesday.It was a strong all-round performance from Pakistan, who defended 145 after restricting Bangladesh to 114 in 20 overs.The win also helped Pakistan avenge their bronze-medal playoff defeat to Bangladesh at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games.Fatima Sana leads from the frontCaptain Fatima Sana once again played a key role for Pakistan.After Pakistan lost wickets regularly in the middle overs, Sana scored a crucial 45 off 30 balls to help her team post a competitive total.Gull Feroza also made a valuable contribution with 31 off 23 balls, while Aliya Riaz scored 25 off 22 deliveries.Bangladesh had earlier made a strong comeback with the ball. Nahida Akter, Shorna Akter and Ritu Moni picked up two wickets each as Pakistan slipped from 46/0 to 67/5.But Sana and Riaz changed the game with a 67-run partnership for the sixth wicket.The partnership helped Pakistan recover and finish on 145/8.Bangladesh lose early wicketsBangladesh's chase got off to a poor start as they lost three wickets for just 20 runs in 4.1 overs.Nigar Sultana and Sharmin Akhter then tried to rebuild the innings. The pair added 47 runs for the fourth wicket and gave Bangladesh some hope.However, the required run rate kept increasing.Nigar was eventually dismissed for 25 off 30 balls in the 14th over, leaving Bangladesh in deeper trouble.Sharmin remained unbeaten on 46 off 45 balls but struggled to find enough support from the other end.Umm-e-Hani seals Pakistan's winOff-spinner Umm-e-Hani was the star with the ball for Pakistan.She picked up three wickets for just 10 runs and played a key role in Bangladesh's collapse.Hani took two of Bangladesh's first three wickets, removing Juairiya Ferdous and Sobhana Mostary.After Nigar's dismissal, Bangladesh struggled to keep the scoreboard moving. Shorna Akter scored six, Ritu Moni three, Rabeya Khan four and Nahida Akter 10.Bangladesh eventually finished on 114 in 20 overs, falling 31 runs short of the target.Pakistan win third women's cricket medalThe bronze medal is Pakistan's third women's cricket medal at the Asian Games.Pakistan had previously won gold in the 2010 and 2014 editions.The victory also made amends for their defeat to Bangladesh in the bronze-medal match at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games.Stay updated with the latest Asian Games 2026 news, check the Asian Games medal tally and complete Asian Games schedule.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.