Pakistan women's cricket team's new captain, Fatima Sana, will lead her country in the upcoming ICC Women's ODI World Cup. Fatima, who took on the captaincy at the young age of 23, has a profound impact on cricket.
Sports News: Pakistan women's cricket team's new captain, Fatima Sana, will lead her country in the upcoming ICC Women's ODI World Cup 2025. Fatima, who took over the captaincy at the young age of 23, dreams of becoming a calm and decisive captain like MS Dhoni. In an interview with PTI from Lahore, Fatima said, "Captaincy in a big tournament like the World Cup is a bit nerve-wracking, but I take inspiration from Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
I have watched his captaincy during his tenure and in IPL matches. I have learned a lot from how he stays calm, makes the right decisions, and supports his players. When I got the captaincy, I decided I wanted to be like Dhoni.
Pakistan's World Cup Campaign
The Pakistan women's team secured their place in the World Cup by remaining undefeated in the qualifiers in April. The tournament will be hosted by India and Sri Lanka from September 30 to November 2, 2025. Pakistan will begin their campaign on October 2 against Bangladesh in Colombo. Fatima Sana has stated that her team aims to reach the semi-finals in this World Cup.
She explained, "This time, the myth that the Pakistan women's team cannot perform in big tournaments will surely be broken. The young players know how important this tournament is for women's cricket. We will focus on the future, not the past. My goal is to take the team to the semi-finals."
The Challenge of Making Women's Cricket a Career Option
Fatima believes that women's cricket is now receiving a bit more support in Pakistan. She said, "Girls are now playing cricket in schools, and matches are being broadcast live. The ICC has also taken a good step by increasing the prize money. However, women's cricket is still not seen as a career option in Pakistan. If we perform well, the situation can change, and parents will be encouraged to let their daughters pursue sports."
Fatima also mentioned that the team's strength lies in its bowling, especially spinners, while significant work has been done on batting over the past year. Before the tournament, the Pakistan team will play three ODIs against South Africa to finalize their combination.
Father's Inspiration and Cricket Journey
All-rounder Fatima has so far scored 397 runs and taken 45 wickets in 34 ODIs. She identified Australia as the b favorite for the title and also praised the Indian team. She said, "Australia is my favorite team. It's difficult to predict the top four, but India's performance has been consistently good. They have experienced players like Jemimah, Smriti, and Harmanpreet. However, being the host, they will face pressure."
Fatima, who started her cricket journey on the streets of Karachi, has been inspired by Australian star Ellyse Perry and Indian batsman Virat Kohli since childhood. She said, "My father's inspiration and family support have been the biggest strengths in my journey. Even after my father's passing during the T20 World Cup last year, I continued to play for the team. Dad wanted me to play, and I did. My family has always stood by me.
