‘Special feeling’ says Sana on T20 World Cup debut against India

Cape Town (Agencies): As Pakistan Women’s team kicks off its ICC Women’s T20 World Cup campaign on Sunday, pacer Fatima Sana has expressed her excitement about leading the Green Shirt’s bowling attack against the arch-rivals India, that too on her World Cup debut.

“I am very excited to play my first T20I match in the World Cup and lead our bowling attack. Obviously playing against India is a special feeling, but we will take it as a normal game and try to give our best shot in the match. she said in a video shared by the PCB on Saturday.

ICC Emerging Cricketer of the Year 2021 Sana has been a mainstay of the national team’s bowling department and will represent Pakistan for the first time in a World Cup.

Bismah Maroof will lead Pakistan in the event for the second time, after captaining the side in the previous edition held in Australia in 2020. She along with opening batter Javeria Khan will be featuring in their eighth edition of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.

A positive outcome in Sunday’s blockbuster clash against India will give Pakistan women’s team perfect momentum for their later matches in Group B and bolster their chances to qualify for the tournament’s semifinal for the very first time.

The World Cup provides veteran all-rounder Nida Dar an opportunity to become the highest wicket-taker in this format in women’s cricket as requires only five more wickets to go past West Indies’ Anisa Mohammad’s tally of 125 wickets.

“I don’t want to take any extra pressure on the record coming my way of becoming the highest wicket-taker in the T20I format. I just love playing this game and I just want to enjoy the moment and give my best for the team.” told Dar to PCB Digital.
Talking about the hype of the India-Pakistan contest, Dar said: “(It) is such that it does not require any Sunday, fans will be there to witness the contest any day provided the two sides are playing against each other. It is all about controlling the nerves, it is also exciting to play such matches as people watch you play.”

Pakistan squad for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup:

Bismah Maroof (c), Aimen Anwar, Aliya Riaz, Ayesha Naseem, Fatima Sana, Javeria Khan, Muneeba Ali (wk), Nashra Sandhu, Nida Dar, Omaima Sohail, Sadaf Shamas, Sadia Iqbal, Sidra Amin, Sidra Nawaz (wk) and Tuba Hassan.