Team India will begin their Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 campaign against Pakistan on Sunday (June 14) in Birmingham. Speaking before the game, Jemimah recalled her first India vs Pakistan clash and how
even senior players addressed the pressure in the dressing room.
“I remember when I played my first India-Pakistan game. In the dressing room, Harman did actually speak to us, saying, ‘Let’s not deny it. There is pressure from the outside because we know the history of India versus Pakistan. We know what the fans expect’,” Jemimah said.
She added that the rivalry goes beyond cricket and is felt by everyone.
“Even my building watchman says, ‘Lose to anyone, but not against Pakistan.’ That is the kind of pressure because people love cricket. They love this rivalry,” she added.
While the rivalry is historic, India have dominated Pakistan in women’s cricket over the years. Jemimah also spoke about the team’s preparation, saying India have been training in tough situations to handle pressure better during matches.
“We prepare differently for every game. We’ve been putting ourselves in uncomfortable situations, whether in training or on the field. We have a lot of sessions where we play out different scenarios. Everyone says you have to thrive under pressure, but how do you do that? You do it by repeatedly putting yourself under pressure in practice and making those situations as challenging as possible, so that when you go into a match, you feel prepared.
“The preparation has been excellent. We’ve had great camps, and this team is looking really confident. We didn’t have a great series against South Africa, but sometimes a defeat teaches you a lot more than winning. We’ve made notes of those lessons, worked on them, and now we can’t wait to get out there and play some good cricket,” she added.
Led by Harmanpreet Kaur, India will look to do well in the tournament and take the final step in an ICC event. Their campaign starts with the high-pressure clash against Pakistan in Birmingham on June 14.
