Wahab Riaz Under Fire as Pakistan Women Exit Winless
Pakistan Women finished the group stage of the 2026 T20 World Cup with three matches played, zero won, and a net run rate of minus 1.857, last in Group A, below even tournament debutants Netherlands would have been had they been in the same group. The campaign is over. The questions about how it was run are not.
The Group 1 Stage ICC Womens T20 World Cup 2026 Table
| # | Opponent | Date | Result | NRR Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | India | Jun 14 | Lost by 64 runs | -3.200 |
| 2 | South Africa | Jun 17 | Lost by 2 wickets | +0.937 |
| 3 | Bangladesh | Jun 20 | Lost by 23 runs | +0.406 |
Pakistan finished fifth out of five in Group A, with zero points from three games.
A Coach With No Coaching Background
Wahab Riaz took over as Pakistan Women’s head coach in late 2025, replacing Mohammad Wasim. The appointment drew attention at the time for a simple reason: Wahab had no prior coaching experience. Reports at the time confirmed he held only the Level 2 coaching certification, the minimum qualification required under PCB guidelines, a far lower bar than what most national team coaching appointments carry.
His predecessor’s background looked different on paper. Mohammad Wasim’s coaching career included leading the Northern domestic side to back-to-back runner-up finishes in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy, Pakistan’s premier first-class competition and a National T20 Cup title in 2019-20. Wasim’s tenure as women’s coach ended in November 2025. Wahab was installed soon after.
This is not the first time Wahab’s position inside Pakistan cricket has ended in an early tournament exit. He was sacked as a men’s selector in July 2024, in the direct fallout from Pakistan’s group-stage elimination from that year’s T20 World Cup.
He has now overseen a group-stage elimination in his first global tournament with the women’s team too.
The Fast Food Outing
Footage circulating from a UK restaurant chain showed the Pakistan Women’s squad on an outing during the tournament, with Wahab Riaz present among them. The clips, posted by the venue’s own social media account shows the team relaxed and socializing mid-tournament.
Reaction to the footage on Pakistani social media has been sharp. Critics have paired it with the team’s results and on-field discipline concerns to question whether the environment around the squad reflects the seriousness the tournament demanded, particularly with a consultant figure present rather than absent from the outing.
The “Reels, Not Practice” Criticism
A separate clip that circulated widely showed members of the squad filming celebratory content before a single match had been won. The framing that spread alongside it was blunt: time that could have gone toward match preparation appeared to go toward content instead, before there was anything to celebrate.
Whether the timing of that footage is fully representative of the squad’s actual preparation schedule is not something that can be verified from a single clip. What is verifiable is the result that followed: zero wins from three completed matches.
What Happens Next
PCB has not announced any review of the women’s coaching setup following the group-stage exit. Wahab Riaz’s contract status beyond this tournament has not been publicly addressed.
Pakistan’s recent record under his coaching includes three defeats at this World Cup, with the team failing to convert winning positions against South Africa and Bangladesh into results.
The conduct questions add a separate layer of scrutiny to a tournament that was already going to demand structural answers from PCB on selection, preparation, and coaching appointments.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Wahab Riaz’s coaching background? Wahab Riaz holds a Level 2 coaching certification, the minimum qualification required under PCB guidelines, and had no prior coaching experience before being appointed Pakistan Women’s head coach in late 2025. He previously served as a Pakistan men’s national selector and senior team manager.
How did Pakistan Women perform at the 2026 T20 World Cup under Wahab Riaz? Pakistan Women lost all three group matches at the 2026 T20 World Cup, against India by 64 runs, South Africa by 2 wickets, and Bangladesh by 23 runs, finishing fifth in Group A with zero points and a net run rate of -1.857.
Was Wahab Riaz removed from a coaching or selection role before? Yes. Wahab Riaz was sacked as a Pakistan men’s national selector in July 2024, following Pakistan’s group-stage elimination from the 2024 T20 World Cup.
