Pakistan women’s cricket captain Fatima Sana says her team is ready to make history as they prepare to face India in the ICC Women’s World Cup. Speaking to reporters ahead of the high-voltage clash, Fatima said the team is determined to end the long losing streak against their archrivals. “We know the record, but records are meant to be broken,” she said with a confident smile. “If we play smart cricket, there’s no reason we can’t beat any side, including India.”
Pakistan have never beaten India in a women’s One-Day International, losing all eleven previous encounters. But Fatima believes this is the moment to turn things around. The team, she said, has worked hard after their disappointing loss to Bangladesh in the opening game of the tournament. “We made mistakes against Bangladesh, no doubt,” she admitted. “But we’ve reviewed everything and focused on keeping partnerships intact. You can’t win matches if you keep losing wickets in clusters.”
The young captain praised senior players like Diana Baig and Aliya Riaz for stepping up in tough times, adding that the dressing room atmosphere remains positive. She also stressed the need for patience with players who might take a few games to find form. “You can’t drop someone after just one or two off days. We have to back our teammates and trust the process,” she said.
Fatima, who took charge of the team earlier this year, said the squad has been focusing on playing “fearless cricket” — something they showed glimpses of during the World Cup qualifiers. “In the qualifiers, we played with freedom and confidence. That’s exactly what we need to bring back now,” she added.
Facing India is always a huge occasion for Pakistan, and this match is no different. India, led by Harmanpreet Kaur, have started the tournament strongly with consistent performances from Smriti Mandhana and Deepti Sharma. But Fatima remains unfazed by the opposition’s reputation. “We respect them, but we’re not intimidated. Our focus is on executing our own plans. If we do that well, anything can happen,” she said.
For Pakistan, a win over India wouldn’t just be a result on paper — it would be a moment of pride for fans and a massive boost for women’s cricket back home. “Every big achievement starts with belief,” Fatima said softly before leaving the media room. “And we believe this could be our day.”
