Pakistan women secured the bronze medal in the Asian Games 2026 women’s cricket competition after defeating Bangladesh by 31 runs in the third place playoff at Korogi Athletic Park in Nisshin, Japan, on September 22.
The victory gave Pakistan their third medal in women’s cricket at the Asian Games. Pakistan had previously won gold medals in the women’s cricket competitions at the 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games and the 2014 Incheon Asian Games. Their latest bronze marked their return to the podium after finishing fourth at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, where the cricket competition was held in 2023.
After winning the toss, Pakistan opted to bat first and posted 145 runs for eight wickets in their 20 overs. Their innings faced a difficult period in the middle overs after Bangladesh took regular wickets and reduced Pakistan from 46 without loss to 67 for five.
Captain Fatima Sana then played an important innings to help Pakistan recover. She scored 45 runs from 30 deliveries, including three fours and three sixes. Fatima formed a crucial partnership with Aliya Riaz, who contributed 25 runs from 22 balls. The pair added 67 runs for the sixth wicket and helped Pakistan reach a competitive total.
Earlier, opener Gull Feroza provided Pakistan with a positive start by scoring 31 runs from 23 deliveries. Her innings included six boundaries. However, Bangladesh’s bowlers kept the pressure on Pakistan during the middle overs. Nahida Akter, Shorna Akter and Ritu Moni claimed two wickets each for Bangladesh.
Chasing 146 for victory, Bangladesh struggled during the opening stages of their innings. Pakistan’s bowlers quickly put pressure on the Bangladesh batting order, reducing them to 20 for three inside the first five overs.
Nigar Sultana and Sharmin Akhter attempted to rebuild the innings. The pair added 47 runs for the fourth wicket, giving Bangladesh some hope of completing the chase. Nigar scored 25 runs from 30 balls before being dismissed.
Sharmin Akhter remained unbeaten on 46 from 45 deliveries, but Bangladesh were unable to maintain the required scoring rate. With wickets falling at the other end and the asking rate continuing to rise, Bangladesh eventually finished their 20 overs at 114 for seven.
Pakistan off spinner Umm e Hani was one of the key performers with the ball. She finished with three wickets for just 10 runs from her four overs. Her spell played a major role in restricting Bangladesh and helping Pakistan defend their total.
The bronze medal also carried significance because of the teams’ previous meeting in the Asian Games. At the Hangzhou Asian Games, held in 2023 after being postponed from 2022, Bangladesh defeated Pakistan in the women’s cricket bronze medal match. Pakistan’s victory in the 2026 third place playoff therefore reversed that result and returned them to the Asian Games podium.
Pakistan’s campaign at the 2026 Asian Games began with a quarterfinal victory over Thailand. They then faced Sri Lanka in the semifinal on September 20. Pakistan posted 177 for four after being sent in to bat, with Ayesha Zafar scoring 71 and Shawaal Zulfiqar making 54.
Sri Lanka chased down the target, reaching 178 for two in 17.5 overs. Captain Chamari Athapaththu remained unbeaten on 83, while Hasini Perera scored 42. The result sent Sri Lanka into the gold medal match and Pakistan into the bronze medal playoff against Bangladesh.
In the bronze medal match, Pakistan produced a balanced performance with both bat and ball. Fatima Sana’s 45 helped the team recover from a difficult position, while Umm e Hani’s economical three wicket spell restricted Bangladesh during the chase.
For Bangladesh, the defeat ended their hopes of winning a medal in women’s cricket at the 2026 Asian Games. Bangladesh had previously won silver medals in 2010 and 2014 and a bronze medal at the Hangzhou Games. Their 2026 campaign therefore ended without a podium finish.
Pakistan’s bronze also adds another chapter to their Asian Games women’s cricket record. Their gold medal victories in 2010 and 2014 remain their only Asian Games cricket titles, while the 2026 bronze becomes their third overall women’s cricket medal at the continental multi sport event.
The result came on the same day as the women’s cricket gold medal match between India and Sri Lanka. India defeated Sri Lanka by 147 runs to retain the women’s cricket gold medal, while Sri Lanka took silver. Pakistan’s victory over Bangladesh completed the women’s cricket medal standings for the 2026 Asian Games.