Fatima Sana keeps fighting valiantly, but Pakistan keep leaving her alone

There is something increasingly frustrating about watching Fatima Sana play for Pakistan.

She fights. She scraps. She refuses to surrender. Whenever Pakistan are in trouble, their captain is invariably the player trying to drag them out of it. But there is only so much one player can do.

On Friday, Pakistan crashed out of the Women’s Asia Cup, and Fatima should be held accountable for their poor showing. But does that mean the other players should not be held accountable too?

Fatima is doing almost everything she possibly can. The problem is that Pakistan keep asking her to do it again and again.

And it is not just an assessment made from the outside. One of the commentators recently went as far as to describe Fatima as the best cricketer Pakistan currently have across men’s and women’s cricket.

That is some statement. But watch her play for Pakistan and it becomes increasingly difficult to dismiss the sentiment.

FATIMA SIMPLY REFUSES TO SURRENDER

The latest example came against Sri Lanka in Dubai.

Pakistan were struggling with the bat, but Fatima remained standing. She scored an unbeaten 47 off 36 balls to take Pakistan to 130 for five. Then she picked up four wickets, reducing Sri Lanka to 33 for four and putting Pakistan in a position from which victory looked possible.

And yet, Pakistan lost.

It was another Fatima Sana performance that deserved a winning team around it. Instead, she walked away with the Player of the Match award after her side had been knocked out.

That is becoming the story of Fatima’s Pakistan career: she keeps fighting, but keeps running out of support.

SOUTH AFRICA SHOWED THE PROBLEM

The same frustration was visible against South Africa at the Women’s T20 World Cup.

Pakistan were 33 for six and then slipped to 50 for eight. Fatima could have accepted the inevitable. She did not.

She smashed an unbeaten 55 off 38 balls, combining with Tuba Hassan for a record 71-run ninth-wicket partnership. Then she returned with the ball and took 3/16.

South Africa eventually won by two wickets.

What more could Fatima have done?

This is where it becomes unfair to constantly expect her to step up. She cannot score the runs, take the wickets and somehow finish every match herself. A captain can lead a team out of trouble, but she cannot permanently compensate for a team that keeps putting itself in trouble.

FATIMA’S FIGHTING SPIRIT CANNOT BE THE SAFETY NET

Fatima’s refusal to give up is one of her greatest strengths. But Pakistan’s dependence on that quality is beginning to wear her down.

Every collapse demands another rescue. Every difficult chase requires another big innings. Every opposition partnership creates another expectation that Fatima will somehow break it.

That is too much.

She has already shown that she can win matches for Pakistan. In May, she smashed the fastest fifty in Women’s T20I history, reaching the landmark in just 15 balls against Zimbabwe. She finished unbeaten on 62 from 19 deliveries as Pakistan won by 133 runs.

At 24, she is one of the best young all-rounders in women’s cricket. And her rise is now being recognised beyond Pakistan.

Earlier this year, Fatima became the first Pakistan women’s cricketer to feature in The Hundred, joining Birmingham Phoenix. It was a landmark moment for the Pakistan captain — and an especially significant one because she was playing alongside the cricketer she had idolised since childhood, Ellyse Perry.

There is something almost fitting about that.

Fatima grew up watching Perry, one of the game’s greatest all-rounders, and dreaming of learning from her. Now she was sharing a dressing room with her. Perry herself has spoken about how impressive Fatima was and backed her to have a long international career.

Fatima has earned her place among the best.

Now Pakistan need to make sure they do not exhaust her trying to prove it every match.

PAKISTAN NEED TO BE BETTER AROUND HER

There is no better option than Fatima to lead Pakistan right now. Her ability with both bat and ball, her competitiveness and her willingness to take responsibility make her indispensable.

But indispensable should not mean overburdened.

Pakistan need to be better around their captain. Their batters need to give her something to defend. Their bowlers need to hold their nerve after she creates openings. Their fielders need to turn her efforts into wickets and their middle order needs to stop leaving her with impossible situations to repair.

Fatima will keep fighting. That is who she is.

But Pakistan cannot keep relying on that fighting spirit as their Plan A.

Because every time Fatima steps up, Pakistan should be helping her finish the job — not handing her another crisis to solve.

Their captain needs support, not another rescue mission.

– Ends