Pakistan captain Fatima Sana on Monday was sanctioned by the International Cricket Council (ICC) after her fiery send-off to India batter Shafali Verma during Saturday's Women's Asia Cup Group A clash in Dubai. Fatima was fined and given a demerit point for her action.
Pakistan captain Fatima Sana faces ICC heat
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The incident happened in the second over of India's chase when Shafali was dismissed caught and bowled by Fatima for just 12 runs. Following the dismissal, Fatima gestured for the Indian to follow her back to the pavilion.
Fatima was found to have breached article 2.5 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to “using language, actions or gestures which disparage or which could provoke an aggressive reaction from a batter upon dismissal.”
In addition, the all-rounder has also been handed one demerit point, which got added to her disciplinary record. It was the second offence by Fatima in the last 24-month period, taking her tally of demerit points to two. Her earlier demerit point was received during a T20I game against Ireland in Dublin on August 6 in 2025.
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Pakistan were bowled out for 55 runs in the Group A game at the Dubai International Stadium, in 18.1 overs, where Shree Charani and Prema Rawat picked up three wickets apiece, while Deepti Sharma picked up two others.
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Pakistan were bowled out for 55 runs in the Group A game at the Dubai International Stadium, in 18.1 overs, where Shree Charani and Prema Rawat picked up three wickets apiece, while Deepti Sharma picked up two others.
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Fatima waged a lone battle with the ball, snaring three wickets, which included the dismissals of Smriti Mandhana and Pratika Rawal as well. India, however, eventually chased down the tally inside nine overs, with seven wickets in hand. This was India's seventh straight win against Pakistan in T20 Asia Cup meetings, with the latter yet to beat their rivals in the tournament.
India had earlier secured their ticket to the semifinals after wins against Hong Kong and Thailand. The result in the Pakistan game assured them of a top-of-the-table finish in Group A. Pakistan, on the other hand, beat Thailand in their opener, but lost against India. They have one more game remaining, against Hong Kong, on Monday in Dubai.
Aratrick Mondal is a senior sports journalist based in New Delhi. In his eight years as a sports writer, Aratrick has worked at leading media organisations, including The Times of India, Times Now, Zee, India TV and currently works at a senior position at Hindustan Times Digital. He writes on cricket, football, pickleball and tennis, among other sports. He has extensively covered India's evolving cricket landscape, the country's new-found love for private leagues such as Indian Pickleball League (IPBL), Ultimate Kho Kho League (UKK), Rugby Premier League (RPL) and several tennis leagues. He has closely covered emerging sports such as pickleball. His coverage of major franchise events lends an atmospheric flavor to his ground reports. His recent story on how SA20 (the domestic cricket league of South Africa) had opened up its grounds to create a carnival-like fan experience garnered major international attention, including appreciation from major cricketers. Tennis holds a special place in his heart. Aratrick has built a strong niche in analytical tennis stories—ranging from Grand Slam narratives and player profiles to tactical breakdowns and ranking trends. His long-form features often decode grand slams, career highs and lows of tennis greats and the upward trajectory of emerging stars. He also closely follows India's tennis landscape, having covered the Davis Cup, Bengaluru Open and Tata Open, among others. His reporting is backed by strong data capabilities, with hands-on experience using tools like Python, Tableau, and Excel to produce visually rich, insight-led stories. This data-first approach enhances accuracy, transparency, and trust. In leadership roles, he has managed editorial shifts, overseen homepage strategy, optimised SEO workflows, and mentored peers to deliver consistent, high-traffic journalism. He recently won the HT DigiStar award for the third quarter of financial year 2025-26. Aratrick is trusted for his balanced reportage, sound sourcing, and ability to translate complex sporting events into engaging narratives that speak to a wide audience. He believes sports is for everyone, not just for the enthusiasts and has a unique ability to bring people together - just like the sumptuous meals you'll often find him cooking on a weekend evening.
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Home/Cricket/Pakistan captain Fatima Sana faces ICC action after fiery Shafali Verma send-off during India Women's Asia Cup clash
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