Pakistan Captain Fatima Sana Reveals Unusual Training Strategy Ahead of Women’s Asia Cup
As the Pakistan women’s cricket team gears up for the upcoming Women’s Asia Cup, captain Fatima Sana has unveiled a unique and rigorous preparation strategy aimed at toughening her squad for the challenges ahead. In a departure from traditional practice sessions, the team held an intensive training camp in Lahore where they played full-scale T20 matches against a local men’s side.
The fixtures, hosted against the Abdul Qadir Cricket Academy, pitted the national women’s stars against a mix of teenage and senior male cricketers. Unlike routine net sessions, these encounters were conducted under official T20 rules, forcing the players to navigate high-stakes scenarios and test their decision-making under genuine pressure.
Sharpening Mental Fortitude
Pakistan, who have historically struggled to clinch the Asia Cup title—having finished as runners-up to India in 2012 and 2016—are eager to break their cycle of semi-final exits. Speaking on the unconventional training method, Fatima Sana emphasized that the primary goal was to improve the team’s composure during crunch moments.
“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.”
Fatima, who recently demonstrated her individual form during the T20 World Cup by scoring a brilliant unbeaten 55 against South Africa and claiming 11 wickets, stressed the importance of remaining collected. “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.”
Looking Ahead
The team is looking for a resurgence following a challenging T20 World Cup campaign where they managed only one victory in five matches. Fatima’s return to the squad—having missed the recent series against Sri Lanka to participate in The Hundred—is expected to provide a significant boost to the team’s leadership and middle-order stability.
Pakistan has been drawn into Group A alongside arch-rivals India, as well as Thailand and Hong Kong. Their campaign is set to kick off against Thailand on September 1, followed by a highly anticipated clash against India on September 5, and their final group match against Hong Kong on September 7.
With these rigorous preparations behind them, the team hopes that the experience of facing male bowlers and batters will translate into a more clinical, composed performance when they take to the field in the Asia Cup.
