Pakistan will now take on Bangladesh at the Hampshire Bowl in Southampton on Saturday, June 20, in a day game with the first ball set to be bowled at 6.30m Pakistan time.

Skipper Fatima kept South Africa on the leash across both innings as she united with Tuba Hassan for a record ninth-wicket 71-run stand to lead Pakistan to a competitive total.

Later, she removed Sune Luus, Nadine de Klerk and Sinalo Jafta to become the first captain to score a fifty and take three wickets in the same match across all 10 ICC Women’s T20 World Cups.

Chasing 127, South Africa moved to 76 for two as Annerie Dercksen struck 52 off 35 balls, including seven fours and two sixes.

Fatima drew the first blood in the second over, while Tuba snapped Laura Wolvaardt in the seventh over.

With Marizanne Kapp (10) and Dercksen putting on a 23-run stand and threatening to take the game away, Nashra got the former stumped, while Tuba bowled the set-batter Dercksen through the legs.

From there, Pakistan kept chipping away to drag the contest closer as Sadia Iqbal struck twice in the middle overs.

She got rid of Chloe Tryon caught behind in the 13th over and Kayla Reyneke caught by Fatima in the 15th over to reduce South Africa to 107 for six.

With South Africa requiring two to win, Fatima bowled Jafta with the total on 125 for seven before getting Nadine de Klerk (37, 28b, 6x4s) caught behind.

Earlier, Pakistan were reduced to 14 for four inside the fourth over after Marizanne Kapp removed both opening batters in the first over, striking thrice in the Powerplay.

Three run-outs compounded the damage as Pakistan slipped to 50 for eight inside 11 overs.

From there, Fatima and Tuba (23, 27b, 2x4s) added 71 for the ninth wicket — the highest ninth-wicket partnership in ICC Women’s T20 World Cup history and the second highest in Women’s T20Is.

Fatima’s 55 not out off 38 balls comprising six fours also involved two sixes, which she hit on consecutive balls in the last over off de Klerk to bring up her third WT20I fifty off 35 balls.

She registered the highest score by a player batting at no.8 or lower in ICC Women’s T20 World Cups.

Scores in brief:

Pakistan 126-9, 20 overs (Fatima Sana 55 not out, Tuba Hassan 23; Marizanne Kapp 3-23)

South Africa 127-8, 16.5 overs (Annerie Dercksen 52, Nadine de Klerk 37; Fatima Sana 3-16, Sadia Iqbal 2-26, Tuba Hassan 2-28)

Player of the match: Annerie Dercksen (South Africa)

Pakistan’s fixtures at ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026:

June 14 – India beat Pakistan by 64 runs

June 17 – South Africa beat Pakistan by two wickets

June 20 v Bangladesh, Hampshire Bowl, Southampton

June 23 v Australia, Headingley, Leeds

June 27 v Netherlands, Bristol County Ground, Bristol