India and Pakistan face off-field focus in Women’s World Cup

It’s one of the biggest fixtures in world sport, and yet it’s becoming something of a familiar one.

Sides representing India and Pakistan have met on each of the past three weekends, with the former’s men’s side racking up three consecutive wins against their rivals on their way to the Asia Cup title.

This Sunday it’s the turn of the nations’ women’s teams, who face off in Colombo in the group stage of the Women’s World Cup.

India go into the match having comfortably beaten Sri Lanka in their opening fixture, while Pakistan endured a chastening defeat by Bangladesh.

The matches between the men’s sides were ill-tempered affairs, with the teams not shaking hands and captains not engaging with one another at the toss, against a backdrop of political tensions between the two countries.

Despite India being the World Cup hosts, all of Pakistan’s fixtures are being held in the Sri Lankan capital with neither nation willing to compete on each other’s soil.

The two women’s sides had previously enjoyed good relations, with players from both teams posing for a photo with the baby of Pakistan captain Bismah Mahroof at the 2022 World Cup.

But both camps refused to be drawn on relations between the sides for Sunday’s game, with Indian representatives refusing questions on the subject.

“Obviously, our main goal is to play, our focus is only on the game,” said Pakistan captain Fatima Sana.

“We try to keep healthy relationships with every team. Whatever comes in the spirit of the game, we try to maintain that.

“What happened before, like with Bismah’s daughter when everyone mingled and enjoyed together – as players, we all like such moments. But the main thing is to stay focused on what we have come here for.”

Sana will be hoping her side can bounce back from their seven-wicket defeat by Bangladesh, but face a stern test from an India side that is among the tournament favourites.

“You can’t judge your team based on one match. We can’t think that one bad game defines us, said Sana.

“We know that when it’s India vs Pakistan, the whole world is watching. So yes, there is pressure, but the main thing is how we handle it.”

Whether the world will get to watch anything is another question – Saturday’s game between Sri Lanka and Australia in Colombo was rained off without a ball bowled, and the forecast remains poor.

But should the match go ahead, relations outside the dressing rooms may again draw focus from the action on the field.

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