Pakistan's Fatima Sana Aims to Break India's Winning Streak in Women's World Cup Clash
Colombo [Sri Lanka], October 4: Fatima Sana, the captain of the Pakistan women's cricket team, has expressed her determination to end India's winning streak against them as they prepare for their upcoming match in Colombo during the Women's World Cup this Sunday.
The recent Asia Cup was filled with controversies, particularly involving India and Pakistan. Notable incidents included a handshake dispute, Pakistan's grievance against match referee Andy Pycroft, and the trophy being controversially taken from India after their final victory.
As the focus shifts to women's cricket, Fatima, who took over as captain from Nida Dar last year, aims to secure Pakistan's first victory over India after suffering 11 consecutive ODI losses. Ahead of this crucial match, she revealed that the team has been analyzing India's recent performances to devise a strategy for an upset.
“Absolutely. Our planning involves a thorough analysis of their gameplay, including their performance in Australia on flat pitches, and we recognize that the conditions here are different. We adapt our strategies accordingly and will field our best players against them. They are undoubtedly strong competitors, but we are committed to executing our plans effectively,” Fatima stated during a pre-match press conference.
Pakistan's campaign began poorly with a disappointing loss to Bangladesh in Colombo, where they were outperformed in all aspects of the game, resulting in a 7-wicket defeat. In contrast, India started their tournament on a high note, defeating Sri Lanka in a rain-affected match in Assam.
“We consider ourselves a family of 20-22 players, and we are not distracted by external factors. While we are aware of the surrounding noise, our primary focus is on the game, as the World Cup is a significant event for every player. We aim to concentrate on the tournament and our objectives here,” she added.
India is seen as the favorite for this match due to their impressive track record against Pakistan. However, Fatima remains optimistic, emphasizing that records are meant to be broken and that Pakistan is focused on playing quality cricket regardless of their opponent.
“The existing records between India and Pakistan are not permanent. We believe that victory is possible for Pakistan. Our focus will be on the present match rather than past outcomes. When facing strong teams, we prepare detailed plans for each player. We are committed to executing these strategies effectively,” she concluded.