Pakistan women’s cricket team captain Fatima Sana revealed how the former Indian men’s team skipper MS Dhoni has been her inspiration. The 23-year-old is gearing up to lead her team for the forthcoming ODI Women’s World Cup this year in September.
The young all-rounder is determined to change the fate of Pakistan and the entire team’s performance following a lackluster campaign in the previous editions.
So, Sana, drawing inspiration from MSD, has set her target on leading her team into the top four and securing a berth in the semi-finals for the first time in Women’s World Cup history.
‘MS Dhoni Has Been My Inspiration’: Fatima Sana
During a recent interview with the PTI, Sana said MSD has been her role model, given his calm demeanor and leadership skills:
“Yeah! Captaining in a big tournament like the World Cup makes me a little nervous. But Mahendra Singh Dhoni has been my inspiration as a captain.
I have watched his matches as the captain of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and the Indian cricket team. The way he makes decisions and supports his players with absolute calmness on the field inspired me a lot.
When I got the captaincy role, I dreamt of becoming like Dhoni. After watching his interviews, I felt there was much to learn from him,” Sana said.
Fatima Sana Confident of Breaking Pakistan’s Jinx
So far, Pakistan has never qualified for the semi-finals in any of the World Cups (both in ODIs and T20Is). But, Fatima Sana is confident enough of breaking the jinx and leading her team to rewrite history in the high-profile tournament:
“Certainly! This time, we aim to break the jinx. The young players are aware of how this tournament holds great importance for the Pakistan women’s team. Let’s not think too much about the past. Right now, I aim to lead the team into the semi-finals,” Sana said.
Pakistan appeared in five editions of Women’s ODI World Cups in 1997, 2009, 2013, 2017, and 2022. Shockingly, the women-in-green experienced a winless campaign in 1997, 2013, and 2017.
Back in 2022, Pakistan achieved their solo victory against West Indies and concluded in last position in the points table by losing six games in the league stages.
‘Pakistani Girls Too Started Playing Cricket in Schools: Fatima Sana
Furthermore, Sana pointed out how the growing popularity of women’s cricket in Pakistan motivated the young girls to play cricket at the school level:
“Yes! The Pakistani girls have started playing cricket in schools. With the live telecast of international matches, the ICC has taken a big initiative to increase the prize money for the Women’s World Cup.
But the upcoming tournament is extremely important as we are yet to break a big barrier ahead of us.
So far, women’s cricket hasn’t been viewed as a career option in our nation. But if we continue to play well, it will certainly make a big difference. Mainly, our efforts should be an inspiration to parents so that they can motivate their girls to choose cricket as their professional career,” Sana added.
Pakistani Bowlers to Play a Crucial Role
Fatima Sana is confident enough that the bowlers will play a big role for the Pakistan women’s team in the upcoming ODI World Cup. Also, she stated that her team worked hard to improve their batting skills over the past year. Here is what the Pakistani all-rounder had to say:
“Definitely! Our team consists of world-class bowlers and spinners will be our key to success. For the past year, we have worked a lot on batting. Rather than batting, we will rely more on the bowling performances, so that we will get favorable results,” Sana explained.
‘Focus will be on Maintaining Good Rhythm’: Fatima Sana’s Strategy
Fatima Sana revealed that her team will follow a simple strategy of maintaining the rhythm similar to the qualifiers. Also, she hopes that the 3-match ODI series against South Africa at home, scheduled on 16th, 19th, and 22nd of September, helps to improve the team combination ahead of the World Cup:
“Absolutely! Right now, the team is in good rhythm, and we will focus on maintaining the same good performance as we delivered in the qualifiers. Every player’s morale is at peak levels.
Most of the players in the qualifiers are still on the team. Six of them will play their first World Cup, and they are excited about the upcoming tournament.
Earlier, we competed among ourselves in domestic cricket. Ahead of the World Cup, the 3-match series against South Africa helps to determine our team’s combination. Also, we are preferring those players who can play their natural game without having any fear or pressure about the World Cup,” Sana explained.
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MS Dhoni’s Legacy: An Inspiration for Young Generation Cricketers
Even after retiring from international cricket in 2020, MS Dhoni, at the age of 44, continues to be an inspiration for the current generation of cricketers across the world. Also, he is the only Indian captain to win three ICC trophies to his name so far.
Especially, the 2011 World Cup victory and guiding CSK to five championship titles in the Indian Premier League (IPL) highlight his unique style of leadership skills.
So, Fatima Sana, following the Captain Cool’s leadership styles of composure, brilliance, and ability to trust players, promises to lead Pakistan to glory in the Women’s World Cup 2025.
