New Delhi: Indian batsman Jemima Rodrigues spoke about the unique pressure between India and Pakistan ahead of the opening match of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 in Birmingham on Sunday. He said the rivalry carries expectations unlike any other game and recalled the advice the team received before the first meeting against Pakistan.“I remember when I played my first India-Pakistan match. In the dressing room, Herman De actually spoke to us, saying, ‘Let’s not deny it. There is pressure from outside because we know the history of India vs Pakistan. We know what the fans expect,'” Rodriguez told Joystar, as quoted by news agency IANS.Even my building janitor says, ‘Lose to anyone, but not against Pakistan.’ It’s kind of stressful because people love cricket. They love that rivalry.”Despite the excitement and pressure surrounding the competition, Rodrigues said the Indian team is focused on winning its maiden Women’s T20 World Cup title. He revealed that visualization has become an important part of the team’s routine.“Lifting that trophy! This morning, we envisioned it. We do it as a team. It’s part of our normal process, where we sit together and envision because we believe that if you see something long enough, you start moving in that direction,” he said.“This is our team’s theme. We did it during the 2025 World Cup. Amul sir has made it a point for us to do it here as well, and we will continue it.”Rodrigues said that India have worked on dealing with pressure during the practice session by creating challenging situations and learning from their recent defeats. Head coach Amul Mazmdar also urged the team not to focus too much on individual competitors, saying that composure will be crucial in the shortest format of the game.
