India batter Jemimah Rodrigues says even her building watchman reminds her not to lose to Pakistan as she reflects on the immense pressure ahead of the Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 opener.
India's Jemimah Rodrigues plays a shot during the first T20 International match between England Women and India Women in Chelmsford on Thursday, May 28, 2026. (Photo: IANS/X/@BCCIWomen)
Few contests in world cricket generate as much emotion and anticipation as an India-Pakistan encounter, and India batter Jemimah Rodrigues says the pressure surrounding the rivalry is so immense that even the watchman at her building reminds her of one thing: “Lose to anyone, but not against Pakistan.”
India and Pakistan will lock horns in their opening match of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 in Birmingham on Sunday, with both teams eager to make the perfect start to their campaign.
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Speaking on JioStar, Rodrigues recalled her first India-Pakistan match and how then-captain Harmanpreet Kaur addressed the team’s mindset before the game.
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“I remember when I played my first India-Pakistan game. In the dressing room, Harman di actually spoke to us, saying, ‘Let’s not deny it. There is pressure from the outside because we know the history of India versus Pakistan. We know what the fans expect.'”
She added that the expectations extend far beyond the dressing room.
“Even my building watchman says, ‘Lose to anyone, but not against Pakistan.’ That is the kind of pressure because people love cricket. They love this rivalry.”
Despite the hype surrounding Sunday’s clash, Rodrigues insisted that India’s focus remains firmly on winning their first-ever Women’s T20 World Cup title.
“Lifting that trophy! This morning, we visualised it. We do that as a team. It’s part of our usual process, where we sit together and visualise because we believe that if you see something long enough, you start moving in that direction.”
She said visualisation has become an important part of the team’s culture.
“That is the theme of our team. We did it during the 2025 World Cup. Amol sir has made it a point for us to do it here as well, and we’ll continue doing that.”
Rodrigues also revealed that India’s preparations have focused on recreating high-pressure situations during practice.
“We’ve been putting ourselves in uncomfortable situations, whether in training or on the field. We have a lot of sessions where we play out different scenarios.”
“Everyone says you have to thrive under pressure, but how do you do that? You do it by repeatedly putting yourself under pressure in practice and making those situations as challenging as possible, so that when you go into a match, you feel prepared.”
While admitting that India did not enjoy the best series against South Africa, she believes those setbacks have helped the team improve.
“The preparation has been excellent. We’ve had great camps and this team is looking really confident. We didn’t have a great series against South Africa, but sometimes a defeat teaches you a lot more than winning. We’ve made notes of those lessons, worked on them, and now we can’t wait to get out there and play some good cricket.”
India head coach Amol Muzumdar also cautioned against focusing too much on individual opponents, including Pakistan captain Fatima Sana.
“Every bowler, on a given day, can be a threat. It’s T20 cricket. It’s the shortest format of the game and a format where things can change very quickly.”
“All you need to do is stay calm, keep your cool, and go out there and deliver what you’re supposed to.”
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