Women's T20 WC: Smriti Mandhana reveals how India Women are preparing for afternoon game vs Pakistan in UAE heat

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Women's T20 WC: Smriti Mandhana has opened up about India Women's preparation for their match against Pakistan Women on Sunday, October 6. She revealed how the team was gearing up to give their best in the high-octane afternoon match which will come with an added challenge of playing in the UAE heat.

The temperature in Dubai has been close to 40 degree Celsius over the past few days with a humidity level in excess of fifty percent. India Women players will have the task of handling the scorching heat as well as the pressure of facing the arch-rivals in a crucial Group A encounter.

Smriti Mandhana said that a couple of afternoon sessions to get accustomed to the heat has been scheduled in the lead up to the match. She added that staying mentally focused at the job at hand, and keeping the body hydrated would also be key.

"The afternoon game is going to be a challenge due to the heat, but when you play for India, there are no excuses. You have to prepare well, and I think we have a couple of afternoon sessions lined up to help us get used to the conditions. By the time we face Pakistan, I'm sure we'll be ready. Mentally, we need to stay strong and keep pushing, staying hydrated is key," the opener told Star Sports, the official broadcasters of the Women's T20 World Cup 2024.

'India-Pakistan rivalry more about emotion of fans'

Further, the 28-year-old southpaw reckoned that a lot of emotion was attached to an India versus Pakistan match due to the fans. She played down the hype around the big fixture, saying that all the matches were equally important for the team.

"I think the India-Pakistan rivalry is more about the emotions of the fans than anything else. It's not like the players don't talk to each other; it's the emotions from both nations that make it so intense. For me, every World Cup match is special, and we put the same amount of effort into each game. But there's definitely a lot of emotion attached to the India-Pakistan games," she said.

In the 2023 T20 World Cup match between the two teams, India Women defeated Pakistan Women by seven wickets. They chased down a 150-run target in 19 overs.

India Women will kick off their Women's T20 World Cup 2024 campaign against New Zealand in Dubai on Friday, October 4. India are placed alongside Australia, Pakistan, New Zealand and Sri Lanka in Group A.