Pakistan captain Fatima Sana said her team struggled in the big pressure moments of their first CWC25 match. She added that the challenge will be even tougher on Sunday.
Pakistan couldn’t match Bangladesh’s power, with the Tigers starting their World Cup campaign with a strong win.
For Pakistan, the focus now shifts quickly to preparing for a massive clash against India on Sunday.
Captain Fatima Sana admitted the team will review what went wrong, especially in the key moments of the game. She said the batters will sit with the coach to make better plans and avoid early dismissals.
She also pointed out that many players are experiencing such high-pressure matches for the first time, which brings its own challenges. Still, she promised the team will give their best in the matches ahead.
Bangladesh’s Marufa Akter was named Player of the Match for her fiery early bowling that quickly put Pakistan under pressure. But Pakistan captain Fatima Sana felt it was more about her team’s own mistakes than the pitch.
She said the early wickets fell because of batting errors, not because the pitch was difficult. At the same time, she admitted the surface did offer some help to the fast bowlers, which Marufa and others used well. Sana added that the team will work on reducing mistakes and hopes to execute their plans better in the upcoming games.
Marufa could hardly believe what she had achieved after the game. The 20-year-old said she had been imagining moments like this for months leading up to the World Cup.
‘I’m so excited because this is my first World Cup,’ Marufa shared. ‘Even two months ago, I used to think about it every night before sleeping – how I would perform in the first match and help my team win. And today, I became the match-winner.’
Bangladesh captain Nigar Sultana Joty was full of praise for her young star, calling her both talented and mature beyond her years.
‘Marufa knows her role very well and has so much confidence. The way she performed was incredible,’ Joty said. ‘Starting with a win gives us momentum we can carry into the rest of the tournament.
Bangladesh squad: Nigar Sultana Joty (c), Nahida Akter, Farzana Haque, Rubya Haider Jhelik, Sharmin Akter Supta, Sobhana Mostary, Ritu Moni, Shorna Akter, Fahima Khatun, Rabeya Khan, Marufa Akter, Fariha Islam Trisna, Shanjida Akther Maghla, Nishita Akter Nishi, Sumaiya Akter
Pakistan squad: Fatima Sana (c), Muneeba Ali Siddiqui (vc), Aliya Riaz, Diana Baig, Eyman Fatima, Nashra Sundhu, Natalia Parvaiz, Omaima Sohail, Rameen Shamim, Sadaf Shamas, Sadia Iqbal, Shawaal Zulfiqar, Sidra Amin, Sidra Nawaz, Syeda Aroob Shah