Colombo, Oct 5 (IANS) Former India cricketer and selector Saba Karim shared his thoughts on the upcoming India-Pakistan match of the Women’s World Cup and discussed India’s preparations, major challenges, and key areas to monitor as the tournament advances.

India have hit the ground running, beating Sri Lanka by 59 runs in the tournament opener last week. And now they match up against another Asian rival with big dreams, Pakistan, who suffered a defeat at the hands of Bangladesh in their tournament opener.

“There will be pressure. That’s why India vs Pakistan has become such a big clash, even in the Women’s World Cup. Otherwise, it wouldn’t matter as much. India has played Pakistan before and generally, done well. But because of the so-called controversies that surround such matches, I’m sure the Indian team management and players have prepared simulations to perform under pressure,” Karim said on JioHotstar.

“The best approach for India and the team management is to remove all outside distractions and focus on the game ahead. I’m confident that, with the experience of the Indian players and support staff, the team will put up a strong performance without being affected by any controversies. That said, I do agree that some pressure will exist for the Indian side,” he added.

With India being the tournament’s co-hosts alongside Sri Lanka, they have the home advantage and are dubbed as favourites to win. Karim, speaking on the challenges that the Women in Blue could face as they progress in the tournament, said, “For India, the biggest challenge or factor would be to sustain good form, both individually, and as a team. For someone like Smriti Mandhana to maintain that level throughout the tournament will be a huge task, because the team will play at different venues against a variety of oppositions.”

“Similarly, it’s the same story for the rest of the players. Experienced players need strong recovery programs so they can maintain peak performance. And there will be pressure because expectations have risen.

“India is being talked about as a strong contender to lift the World Cup, so that pressure will also build up. But I am confident that, as a team, India can absorb the pressure and enjoy the challenges ahead. These are a few factors essential for India’s success,” he said.

The team faced some injury scares before beginning their campaign, as Arundhatti Reddy suffered a blow to her leg during a warm-up game against England. Moreover, Sneh Rana too looked in trouble during her time on the field against Sri Lanka in the tournament opener.

On India’s fielding and fitness levels, Karim added, “In terms of catching efficiency, only New Zealand is right at the top. Even Australia and England haven’t done so well. But the Indian team is constantly trying to improve in this area. From what I’ve seen in practice sessions, the team spends a lot of time, even one-on-one, working on catching. It’s a process that will take some more time, but India’s fitness levels have improved significantly, and better fitness automatically enhances fielding.”

“The team management, especially the fielding coach, is working very hard on this. The goal is to minimise drop-catch percentages, and that will help India remain in contention to lift the World Cup,” he signed off.

— IANS

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