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Pakistan’s women’s cricket team have taken an unusual route to prepare for the Women’s Asia Cup, playing full T20 matches against a men’s side during their training camp in Lahore.The matches against the Abdul Qadir Cricket Academy featured both teenage and senior male players.Unlike regular practice sessions, the games were played under full Twenty20 rules, with Pakistan aiming to expose their players to greater pressure and improve their decision-making in difficult situations.
A different kind of preparation
Pakistan have never won the Women’s Asia Cup. Their best performances came in 2012 and 2016, when they reached the final but lost to India on both occasions. They have not reached the final since and were eliminated in the semi-finals in the previous two editions.Captain Fatima Sana believes the matches against the men will help the team deal with pressure better.“We are well prepared for the tournament,” Fatima said, as quoted by Cricinfo. “We have played competitive matches against boys in which we were put under pressure. These learnings will help us adapt to the challenges of the competition.”Pakistan enter the tournament after a poor T20 World Cup campaign, winning only one of their five matches. Fatima was among their standout performers, scoring an unbeaten 55 against South Africa and taking 11 wickets, the second-highest tally in the tournament.
Fatima wants calm under pressure
The captain said dealing with pressure was a major focus during the team’s preparations.“We needed to understand how to handle the pressure better, and that is something which is highlighted whenever there is a big tournament,” she said. “These matches have helped us on that front, and the difference will be visible.“It is very important to stay calm in pressure situations rather than pressing the panic button. We have told the girls to stay calm in the crunch moments, stay in control, trust their hard work and execute the plans.”Fatima will return for the Asia Cup after missing Pakistan’s recent Sri Lanka series while playing in The Hundred.Pakistan are in Group A with India, Thailand and Hong Kong. They begin against Thailand on September 1, face India on September 5 and play Hong Kong on September 7.
