Pakistan women’s team coach Wahab Riaz has backed his side to win the Women’s Asia Cup 2026 despite their crushing seven-wicket defeat to India on Saturday.
Pakistan were bowled out for just 55 in 18.1 overs at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, their lowest-ever total in women’s T20I cricket. India then chased down the target in only 8.4 overs to register a dominant victory.
Despite the one-sided result, Riaz insisted that Pakistan remain the best team in the tournament and backed the squad to bounce back.
“I still believe Pakistan is the best side in this Asia Cup to lift the trophy because the conditions really suit us,” Riaz said after the match.
He also urged his players to trust their abilities and said the team would analyse its mistakes before facing Hong Kong in its next game.
India’s spinners dismantle Pakistan
Pakistan struggled against India’s bowling attack from the outset. Shree Charani and Prema Rawat claimed three wickets each, while Deepti Sharma took two as Pakistan’s batting order collapsed.
Only Shawaal Zulfiqar and Muneeba Ali managed to reach double figures, scoring 14 and 13 respectively.
India were equally comfortable in the chase, reaching 57/3 in 8.4 overs. The result kept India unbeaten in the tournament and secured their place in the semi-finals.
Wahab Riaz backs changes to Pakistan squad
Riaz’s comments came amid questions over Pakistan’s squad selection. Captain Fatima Sana’s name appears in the official PCB squad, while the supplied report attributes separate criticism of the selection process to Sana Mir. The PCB lists Wahab Riaz as coach/mentor of the Asia Cup squad.
Riaz defended the decision to introduce new players, saying the team had made the changes with future tournaments in mind.
He argued that several players who were left out had featured in multiple World Cups and Asia Cups without delivering the desired results.
According to Riaz, bringing younger faces into the squad was intended to help build a team for future competitions.
Pakistan face must-win Hong Kong clash
The defeat has made Pakistan’s path to the semi-finals more difficult. Pakistan have two points from two matches and are scheduled to face Hong Kong on September 7.
A defeat in that match could end Pakistan’s campaign, making the upcoming fixture crucial for their qualification hopes.
For now, Riaz remains confident that Pakistan can recover from the heavy loss and challenge for the Asia Cup title.
