Fatima Sana becomes first Pakistani woman to play in The Hundred

Fatima Sana will become the first Pakistani woman to play in The Hundred after being selected by Birmingham Phoenix as a wildcard pick. The 24-year-old all-rounder, who captains Pakistan, will feature in this year's competition starting on 21 July.

The selection comes after the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) wrote to all eight franchises reminding them of their anti-discrimination responsibilities, following reports that franchises with Indian Premier League links were not expected to sign Pakistan players. A joint statement later confirmed that players must not be excluded on grounds of nationality.

Fatima was one of two Pakistan women's players unsold at the original auction in March, alongside spinner Sadia Iqbal. She replaces Australia all-rounder Lucy Hamilton in the Phoenix squad, who was withdrawn to manage her workload.

Wildcard pick details

• Fatima Sana is currently playing in the Women's T20 World Cup, where she scored an unbeaten 55 and took 3-16 in Pakistan's two-wicket loss to South Africa.
• Wildcard picks are typically domestic players rewarded for county form, but the mechanism is also used to complete squads before the tournament.
• A total of 32 men's and women's players have been selected to fill the final two squad places at each of the eight teams.
• Other notable wildcard picks include 17-year-old fast bowler Manny Lumsden (Southern Brave) and 18-year-old Seb Morgan (MI London).

Fatima's inclusion marks a significant step for representation in The Hundred, which begins its 2025 season on 21 July. The full squads, including the wildcard selections, will now finalise preparations for the tournament.