Australia refuse to downplay Fatima Sana’s Pakistan ahead of T20 World Cup fixture

Pakistan have been eliminated from the Women’s T20 World Cup after losing their first three fixtures. They will play Australia in their next fixture, which would be as dead a rubber as a game can be. 

Table-topper Australia up against eliminated Pakistan

Besides Pakistan’s elimination, Australia’s qualification will in no way be negatively impacted by whatever result this game yields. Australia have won three out of their three games so far and rest at the top of the table.

Despite that, Australia want to take their campaign one game at a time as they gear up to face ‘tricky’ Pakistan.

"We know that they pose a completely different threat to what we just faced (against the Netherlands), so it's about making sure that we stay really adaptable, thinking about the moment, not necessarily thinking about what the semi-finals (race) looks like," Australian all-rounder Ashleigh Gardner said.

Can Pakistan overcome the pressure of playing Australia?

Pakistan last played Australia in an international game during the Women’s ODI World Cup last year. While Australia convincingly won the game by 107 runs, Pakistan had them pinned against the wall at one point. 

The side were eight down for just 115 runs, but a Beth Mooney century steered them to a 221-run total.

"If we play our best cricket, we know that we can get to the position that we want to be in. But we know that Pakistan are going to be tricky. They challenged us in the ODI World Cup, and Beth Mooney made one of the best centuries I've ever seen."

Fatima Sana can take the game away

Pakistan’s strongest shot lies in their captain Fatima Sana; every team knows that. Their reliance on her has almost been self-destructive, but that has evidence backing it up. Fatima has, at many times, rescued her side with both ball and bat from tricky situations. 

Recently, against South Africa, she scored 55 runs off just 38 balls, in an innings where Pakistan could only get to 126. She then followed it up by grabbing three wickets. Australian coach Shelley Nitschke says they'll need a proper plan to tackle Fatima, who can turn the fate of a game single-handedly.

"We'll need some (plans) – she's been outstanding, and I think probably since she's stepped into the captaincy role, she's really grown as an all-rounder and as one of the world's best at T20 cricket (among) the all-rounders," Australia coach Shelley Nitschke said of Sana.

"We certainly know that she's the sort of player we need to be well planned for and be able to execute against her because she's showing that she can take a game away from a team."

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