India batter Jemimah Rodrigues opened up on the pressure of playing Pakistan ahead of the Women’s T20 World Cup, saying that the expectations around the fixture are impossible to ignore, no matter how experienced a player is.
India begin their campaign on June 14 against Pakistan in Birmingham, one of the marquee clashes of the group stage. Speaking to the broadcaster ahead of the game, Jemimah recalled her first India Pakistan match and revealed how even senior players in the dressing room acknowledged the weight of the occasion.
“I remember when I played my first India Pakistan game. In the dressing room, Harman di actually spoke to us, saying, ‘Let’s not deny it. There is pressure from the outside because we know the history of India versus Pakistan. We know what the fans expect’,” Jemimah said.
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The India batter added that the rivalry stretches far beyond the cricket field and reaches people from all walks of life.
“Even my building watchman says, ‘Lose to anyone, but not against Pakistan.’ That is the kind of pressure because people love cricket. They love this rivalry,” Jemimah said.
India and Pakistan have a historical rivalry but in women’s cricket it is quite lop-sided. India have made huge advancements in women’s cricket, one that Pakistan is yet to make.
INDIA PREPARING FOR PRESSURE SITUATIONS
Jemimah also spoke about India’s preparations for the tournament and said the team has consciously created difficult situations during training to be better equipped for pressure moments in matches.
“We prepare differently for every game. We’ve been putting ourselves in uncomfortable situations, whether in training or on the field. We have a lot of sessions where we play out different scenarios. Everyone says you have to thrive under pressure, but how do you do that? You do it by repeatedly putting yourself under pressure in practice and making those situations as challenging as possible, so that when you go into a match, you feel prepared.
“The preparation has been excellent. We’ve had great camps and this team is looking really confident. We didn’t have a great series against South Africa, but sometimes a defeat teaches you a lot more than winning. We’ve made notes of those lessons, worked on them, and now we can’t wait to get out there and play some good cricket,” she added.
Led by Harmanpreet Kaur, India head into the tournament hoping to improve on their recent ICC outings and finally take the final step in a global event. Their campaign begins with the high pressure clash against Pakistan in Birmingham on June 14.
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