Pakistan's 23-year-old captain wants to emulate MS Dhoni at World Cup; ‘way he backs his players, there's a lot to…’

After ODI World Cup debacle in 2007, Mahendra Singh Dhoni lifted Indian cricket with a global trophy after 28 years a few months after when the then 26-year-old led the Men in Blue to an inaugural T20 World Cup triumph. Thereafter, Dhoni went onto be become the greatest captain of all time with two more ICC trophies - ODI World Cup in 2011 and the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy.

At 23, Fatima Sana wants to emulate Dhoni at the top level and lift Pakistan in women's cricket world map, the journey of which begins later this month. The Women's World Cup 2025 begins on September 30 in India, with Pakistan playing all their games in Colombo. Both BCCI and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) have struck a deal to play at neutral venues till 2027 in all global and continental tournaments.

“It is natural to be a little nervous initially when captaining in a big tournament like the World Cup, but I take inspiration from Mahendra Singh Dhoni,” Sana was quoted as saying to PTI. “I have seen his matches as India and CSK captain. His on-field decision-making, calmness and the way he backs his players, there is a lot to learn from that. When I got the captaincy, I thought that I have to become like Dhoni. I also watched his interviews and got to learn a lot,” added Sana.

Sana was handed over the Pakistan women's team captaincy in 2024. This will be her first time leading the country in a 50-over World Cup. Fully aware of tournament's significance, the all-rounder is determined to make a strong impact and improve Pakistan's performance after underwhelming shows in previous editions.

The Women in Green have appeared in five World Cups, starting from 1997. However, Pakistan were able to win just three games in total so far, the last of which came in 2022. The lowest point in Pakistan's ODI World Cup history came in 2017 when they failed to win a single game out of seven matches in England.

But Sana is determined to change the narrative this time, with an eye in the semifinals. “This time, the jinx will definitely be broken because the young players know how important this tournament is for Pakistan women’s cricket," she said. “We will not think about the past. My goal is to take the team to the semifinals,” added Sana.

Pakistan's fixtures at Women's World Cup 2025 Having been on the unbeaten side in the ICC Women's World Cup qualifier earlier this year, Pakistan enter the tournament with the momentum on their hands. They begin their campaign against Bangladesh on October 2, followed by the high-octane clash against India three days later.

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