Pakistan ladies’s cricket crew captain Fatima Sana attracts inspiration from India’s World Cup-winning skipper MS Dhoni and aspires to change into ‘Captain Cool’ like him, as she prepares to guide her aspect on the 50-over World Cup later this month.
The Girls’s World Cup, scheduled to begin on September 30, is being co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka with Pakistan set to play all its matches within the island nation following an settlement reached between the BCCI and the PCB.
Pakistan, which remained unbeaten within the qualifiers held in April, will begin its marketing campaign towards Bangladesh in Colombo on October 2.
“It’s pure to be a bit of nervous initially when captaining in a giant event just like the World Cup, however I take inspiration from Mahendra Singh Dhoni as a captain,” Fatima advised PTI Bhasha in an interview forward of the World Cup.
“I’ve seen his matches as India and CSK captain. His on-field decision-making, calmness and the best way he backs his gamers, there’s a lot to be taught from that. After I acquired the captaincy, I assumed that I’ve to change into like Dhoni. I additionally watched his interviews and acquired to be taught lots,” she mentioned.
Dhoni retired from worldwide cricket on August 15, 2020, whereas Fatima made her ODI debut towards South Africa on Could 6, 2019.
‘Jinx might be damaged’
Pakistan has performed the Girls’s ODI World Cup 5 instances (1997, 2009, 2013, 2017 and 2022) however went with out a single win in 1997, 2013 and 2017. In 2022, its solely victory was towards the West Indies in Hamilton, and the crew completed final after dropping all the opposite matches.
All-rounder Fatima, who has scored 397 runs and brought 45 wickets in 34 ODIs, is assured that the jinx might be damaged this time round as a result of the younger gamers are conscious their efficiency will determine the way forward for ladies’s cricket within the nation.
“This time, the jinx will certainly be damaged as a result of the younger gamers understand how essential this event is for Pakistan ladies’s cricket. We won’t take into consideration the previous. My objective is to take the crew to the semifinals,” she added.
“In Pakistan, women have began enjoying cricket in colleges and worldwide matches are being telecast dwell. ICC has additionally taken a very good initiative by growing the prize cash for the Girls’s World Cup, which is able to encourage budding gamers in Pakistan. However there’s nonetheless a barrier which we have now to interrupt via this event,” she mentioned.
“In our nation, ladies’s cricket will not be seen as a profession possibility. But when we play properly, it’s going to make an enormous distinction. Our effort might be to encourage mother and father in Pakistan to encourage their women to make a profession in sports activities,” mentioned the all-rounder.
She feels that bowlers would be the key to the crew’s success, but in addition insisted that a number of work has additionally been executed on batting within the final one 12 months.
“We’ve got top-class bowlers within the crew and spinners might be our trump card. We’ll rely extra on bowling than batting however within the final one 12 months, we have now labored lots on batting and we’ll get outcomes,” she mentioned.
She mentioned the main target might be on sustaining the rhythm of the qualifiers, and the three-match sequence towards South Africa earlier than the event will assist in making ready the crew mixture.
“The crew is in good rhythm and after the nice efficiency within the qualifiers, everybody’s morale is excessive. Roughly the identical gamers are within the crew who performed within the qualifiers. That is the primary World Cup for six gamers and they’re very excited.” The crew, which is practising in Lahore, has performed solely home matches after the qualifiers in April however the captain is happy with the preparations.
“We had performed matches amongst ourselves in home cricket. Earlier than the event, we’ll play a sequence with South Africa wherein we’ll attempt to put together the crew mixture. We want the gamers to play naturally with out the stress of the World Cup,” she mentioned.
Calling Australia a powerful contender for the title, Fatima mentioned it’s not potential to foretell the 4 semifinalists however India’s efficiency has additionally been constantly good.
“My favorite crew is Australia. It’s tough to foretell the semifinalists however India’s efficiency has been superb in the previous few years. It has very skilled gamers like Jemimah (Rodrigues), Smriti (Mandhana) and Harmanpreet (Kaur) however we won’t concentrate on anybody participant.” She additionally mentioned that being the host, there might be added stress on India however there will even be the benefit of enjoying on dwelling grounds.
“India has by no means received the World Cup and being the host, there might be stress to win. However together with this, the presence of dwelling followers additionally boosts the morale. It is dependent upon the crew the way it takes it.” An enormous fan of Australian star Ellyse Perry, Fatima began enjoying avenue cricket together with her brothers on the age of 11 in Karachi. She misplaced her father in the course of the T20 World Cup final 12 months, however selected nationwide obligation over private grief.
Fatima’s grit and willpower was harking back to Sachin Tendulkar, who returned to play the 1999 World Cup after his father’s dying. Virat Kohli, as an adolescent misplaced his father, after which he performed a Ranji Trophy sport the very subsequent day.
“My father dreamed of watching me play within the World Cup. I went again to play to fulfil his want. I knew that Virat additionally did the identical.”
Printed on Sep 03, 2025