Pakistan Batter Goes Home For Mother's Illness, To Skip Asian Games

Muneeba Ali left the Asian Games due to her mother's illness. Pakistan beat Thailand by three wickets in a low-scoring quarterfinal.

Pakistan women’s senior wicketkeeper-batter Muneeba Ali has gone home from the Asian Games in Japan to be with her mother, who’s ill, and will skip the tournament. The team won’t name a replacement due to time and logistical constraints — the knockout cricket tournament ends on September 22 — and Gul Feroza is set to keep wickets and open the innings in her absence.

Feroza did both jobs in Thursday’s opener against Thailand, scoring 16 (13). Munneba’s absence will still be a big blow for Pakistan as, alongside captain Fatima Sana, she’s among the team’s most important players. On pitches that Pakistan will see in Japan, her anchoring abilities could have been match-winning. Feroza did encourage some confidence at the Asia Cup, where she scored 63 in their last league game against the Netherlands.