Pakistan Women’s Cricket Team Ready for ICC World Cup, Says Captain Fatima Sana
LAHORE: Despite losing the recent ODI series at home against South Africa, Pakistan’s women’s cricket team is well-prepared and focused ahead of their ICC World Cup campaign, captain Fatima Sana said on Tuesday.
The team won the third and final ODI against South Africa in Lahore on Monday, but the tourists took the series 2-1.
Speaking at a press conference in Lahore before leaving for Colombo, Fatima said,
“There is no extra pressure for the match against India. Every World Cup game carries similar pressure. We will approach that match like any other.”
She added that Pakistan aims to start the tournament strongly against Bangladesh on October 2 and then build momentum for the clash with India on October 5.
Head coach David Wasim also expressed confidence in the squad’s preparation:
“The team is in great form and heading into the World Cup with proper preparation. Warm-up matches will help us gain momentum.”
Fatima highlighted positives from the South Africa series, saying the team’s batters and bowlers are in good form. She praised the team’s effort in chasing a 300-plus target in the second ODI, noting it showed progress despite a 25-run loss.
Star batter Sidra Amin, who scored two centuries and a half-century in the series, said the team has strong pinch-hitters like Fatima Sana, Eyman Fatima, and Natalia Parvaiz. She added,
“If Colombo pitches are spin-friendly, we have already proven our strength on spinning tracks.”
Coach Wasim emphasized the value of the South Africa series for testing combinations ahead of the World Cup, singling out Nashra Sandhu and Sidra Amin for their impressive form.
Pakistan will play all their World Cup matches in Colombo, Sri Lanka, under an ICC hybrid model due to political tensions with India. The eight-nation tournament runs from September 30 to November 2.
