As the countdown begins to the 2026 edition of The Hundred, four leading Pakistan internationals have entered the women’s draft with the hope of securing contracts in one of the most visible franchise tournaments in the sport. Fatima Sana, Muneeba Ali, Sadia Iqbal and Diana Baig have all registered for The Hundred 2026 auction at a base price of £15,000. Their inclusion reflects Pakistan’s growing footprint in women’s cricket, but the build-up has also been shaped by widespread discussion around whether franchises with Indian Premier League ownership links will bid for them.
On pure cricketing merit, the quartet present compelling cases. Fatima Sana, Pakistan’s fast-bowling all-rounder and current captain, is arguably the most rounded package in the group. In 56 Women’s ODIs, she has taken 73 wickets at an average of 28.58, including a five-wicket haul, while scoring 632 runs with three half-centuries and the highest score of 90 not out. In 50 Women’s T20Is, she has claimed 43 wickets and contributed more than 500 runs at a strike rate hovering around 130, underlining her ability to influence both innings. Her recent tour of South Africa further strengthened her credentials: she finished as Pakistan’s leading run-scorer in the T20I leg with 146 runs and also shared top billing among the bowlers with five wickets. In a format like The Hundred, where multi-skill cricketers are prized for balance and flexibility, Fatima’s profile is tailor-made.
Muneeba Ali offers a different but equally valuable skill set. The left-handed wicketkeeper-batter has amassed 1,375 runs in 59 WODIs, including four half-centuries and a highest score of 107. In T20 internationals, she has scored 1,471 runs in 83 appearances, striking two centuries and two fifties, with the best of 102. Notably, she became the first Pakistani woman to score a T20I hundred, a landmark moment that signaled her ability to dominate attacks on the global stage. As an opener capable of providing explosive starts while also keeping wickets, Muneeba fits the attacking blueprint many Hundred sides seek at the top of the order.
Sadia Iqbal brings control and guile through left-arm orthodox spin. Across 53 T20Is, she has taken 67 wickets at an economy rate under seven, an impressive return in the shortest format. Her ability to contain and strike in the middle overs has been a consistent feature of Pakistan’s white-ball strategy. On the recent South Africa tour, she matched Fatima’s five wickets in the T20I series, reinforcing her value in overseas conditions. In a competition where matchups and tactical spin options are critical, Sadia’s skill set could prove particularly attractive.
Diana Baig completes the quartet with seam experience and lower-order resilience. With over 100 international appearances across formats, she has claimed more than 80 international wickets combined and offers valuable depth with the bat. While not always a headline performer statistically, her ability to bowl disciplined spells and contribute to pressure moments add a layer of reliability that franchise teams often prioritise.
Yet, despite these strong numbers, much of the pre-auction conversation has centered on geopolitics rather than performance. Reports have suggested that franchises with Indian Premier League affiliations such as MI London, Manchester SuperGiants, Southern Brave, and Sunrisers Leeds may refrain from signing Pakistani players, mirroring trends seen in other leagues. Although no official restriction has been announced by the England and Wales Cricket Board, the speculation has sparked debate within the cricket community about inclusivity and equal opportunity in franchise cricket.
For Fatima, Muneeba, Sadia and Diana, the 2026 auction represents more than just a contract opportunity. It is a chance to showcase Pakistan’s women’s cricketing depth on a high-profile English stage and to test themselves against some of the best players in the world. Whether franchises ultimately bid on them will not only shape their immediate futures but may also signal how global the women’s franchise ecosystem is prepared to become.
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