Fatima Sana Prioritizes The Hundred Over Sri Lanka T20Is

Pakistan women's captain Fatima Sana is set to leave the national squad after the ODI leg of the Pakistan Women Sri Lanka Tour, with England calling for a landmark opportunity that has already placed her name in the history books.

Sources confirmed on Tuesday that the all-rounder will feature in all three One Day Internationals against Sri Lanka before departing to join Birmingham Phoenix for The Hundred 2026. That schedule means she will miss the three-match T20I series.

Her availability gives Pakistan a major boost in the ICC Women's Championship fixtures. The ODI series carries valuable qualification points, making Sana's presence significant before she begins her overseas assignment.

Historic Opportunity Awaits in England

The move marks another milestone for Fatima Sana, who became the first Pakistan woman cricketer to earn a contract in the women's edition of The Hundred. Birmingham Phoenix secured her services through the tournament's wildcard draft after Australia withdrew Lucy Hamilton to manage her workload.

Sana will occupy the franchise's fourth overseas spot and receive the competition's minimum salary of £15,000, which is approximately PKR 5.6 million.

The Hundred runs from 21 July to 16 August and enters a new chapter this season after private investors took partial or full ownership of the franchises following last year's sale process.

Pakistan's tour schedule allows Sana to complete the ODI series on 23, 25 and 28 July before flying to England. The T20Is are scheduled for 31 July, 2 August and 4 August, leaving the visitors without their captain for that part of the series.

The Pakistan Women Sri Lanka Tour comes after a disappointing ICC Women's T20 World Cup campaign. Pakistan managed only one victory from five group-stage matches, defeating the Netherlands while falling short against India, South Africa, Bangladesh and Australia.

Attention now shifts to the 50-over contest, where Fatima Sana is expected to lead the side one final time before beginning a new chapter in one of women's cricket's biggest franchise competitions.