Star Pakistan opener Ayesha Zafar has said that the upcoming clash against arch-rivals India is just another game, adding that her team is looking to put on a good show after a big win against Thailand in the ongoing Asia Cup in Dubai.
In many ways, it’s a dead rubber for Pakistan too. They have India and Hong Kong to face in their remaining group matches and need just one victory to seal a place in the last four.
But it’s easier said than done. When India and Pakistan meet, there is rarely such a thing as a dead rubber. The two teams will renew their rivalry at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Saturday, September 5.
“Yes, it’s India vs Pakistan, but this is just another match. We are taking one match at a time. It’s our second match [having
beaten Thailand in their first], so we are hoping to put up a good show and eventually win it,” Ayesha said while speaking at the pre-match press conference.
“We can’t focus on one thing; overall, we have focused on all three [batting, bowling and fielding]. We have been putting in a lot of work into fielding. Our mentor also said that we can’t compromise on fielding because it’s something that can win you matches,” Ayesha added.
At the Asian level, no team comes close to India’s strength. But India somehow finished runners-up to Sri Lanka in the previous edition. Pakistan, meanwhile, opened their campaign with a victory over Thailand and remain in contention for a place in the last four.
Ahead of the game, both India openers, Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma, appeared to be in top form. The former broke a host of records against Hong Kong while scoring a memorable hundred, sending a warning to the other teams in the competition.
