Aaliya Riaz’s Husband Sparks Rift In Pakistan Women’s Team? Sana Fatima Loses Cool: Report

The Pakistan women’s team has had a disastrous T20 World Cup campaign in the UK. The Fatima Sana-led side has lost 4 matches on the trot, getting eliminated early from the tournament. Their horrendous campaign seemingly indicates that something isn’t right in the dressing room.

According to PTI, while the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has neither confirmed nor denied the reports, several posts and stories across social and mainstream media have pointed to internal issues within the squad. Reportedly, there has been a major disagreement between team mentor and unofficial head coach Wahab Riaz and captain Sana over selection matters.

Before the match against Bangladesh, Sana objected to the husband of senior player Aaliya Riaz staying in her room

at the team hotel.

“It was on Sana’s insistence that Ali Younis was asked to vacate the room. Then, on the day before the game against Bangladesh, Aaliya and her husband went out for sightseeing when there was a team practice scheduled,” the agency quoted a report.

Apparently, when the playing XI for the Bangladesh match was being finalised, Sana wanted Aaliya left out, but Wahab insisted on her inclusion. After Pakistan lost the game and Aaliya failed to deliver, Sana reportedly told Wahab in front of the team that he was responsible for the defeat, as he had not adhered to the necessary disciplinary protocols.

The report further claimed that there are groupings within the squad and strained relationships between some senior players and the coaching staff. The coaches are said to be unhappy that their plans are not being executed during matches.

The women in green suffered their fourth consecutive defeat in the World Cup, going down to Australia on Tuesday night in Leeds. Since arriving in Ireland ahead of the marquee event, the team is yet to register a single win and had also gone winless in the tri-series involving Ireland and the West Indies prior to the tournament.

Last year, Pakistan also finished at the bottom of the points table in the ICC 50-over World Cup in India and Sri Lanka, where the team played all its matches in Sri Lanka.

(With PTI Inputs)