New Delhi, June 13: The Indian women’s cricket team is set to kick off its campaign in the 2026 T20 World Cup against Pakistan this Sunday. Matches between India and Pakistan are always thrilling, and fans eagerly anticipate this clash. Indian batter Jemimah Rodrigues emphasized that while losing to any team is acceptable, losing to Pakistan is not an option.
Rodrigues shared her thoughts on GeoStar, recalling her first India-Pakistan match. “I remember when I played my first match against Pakistan. In the dressing room, Harman di spoke to us and said, ‘Don’t deny it. There is pressure from outside because we know the history of India vs. Pakistan. We understand what fans expect,'” she stated.
She added, “Even the watchman of my building says, ‘Lose to anyone, but not Pakistan.’ That’s the kind of pressure we feel because people love cricket. They enjoy this rivalry.”
The middle-order batter mentioned, “The Indian team is moving forward with a significant goal: to lift the T20 World Cup trophy.”
“We constantly think about winning the World Cup as a team. It has become part of our routine. We believe that if you focus on something long enough, you start moving in that direction. This is our team’s theme. We did this during the 2025 World Cup, and Amol sir has encouraged us to continue this approach,” she explained.
Discussing the team’s preparations and the pressure before the tournament, Jemimah said, “We prepare differently for each game. We put ourselves in challenging situations, whether in training or on the field. We have many sessions where we play under various scenarios.”
She continued, “Everyone says you need to perform well under pressure, but how do you do that? You do it by repeatedly putting yourself under pressure during practice and making those situations as challenging as possible so that when you step onto the field, you feel prepared.”
Jemimah concluded, “Our preparations have been excellent. The team is showing confidence. Our series against South Africa didn’t go well, but sometimes losses teach you more than victories. We have noted those lessons and worked on them. Now, we want to play good cricket on the field.”
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