India captain Harmanpreet Kaur has said that no other fixture produces the kind of pressure that comes with playing Pakistan, as her team prepares for the Women’s Asia Cup in Dubai.
The tournament runs at the Dubai International Stadium from August 28 to September 13. India start against Thailand on August 30 and meet Pakistan in a Group A match on September 5.
A match that all of India watches
Kaur, speaking via Sony Sports, accepted that international players regularly face tense situations but said an India-Pakistan game carries a weight she does not feel elsewhere. She noted that the audience stretches well beyond cricket followers, with people across India tuned in because the contest means so much.
Keeping it simple
Her answer to that burden is simplicity. Kaur wants her players to stay with their routines, concentrate on the present and avoid being swallowed up by the need to win. She said that sticking to routines tends to bring results, and added that the game plan should be adjusted to what the team needs instead of worrying about the final outcome.
Tournament background
India are the most successful side in the history of the Women’s Asia Cup, with seven titles. Sri Lanka hold the trophy, having beaten India in the previous final.
Smriti Mandhana is vice-captain of the India squad, which also includes Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh and Renuka Thakur. The top two teams in each group advance to the semi-finals on September 10 and 11, with the final set for September 13.
