As Pakistan gears up to face an unbeaten England side in the Women’s World Cup, all eyes are on the team’s response after three consecutive defeats. Ahead of the crucial clash, Pakistan spinner Syeda Aroob Shah addressed the media, reflecting on the team’s struggles, areas of improvement, and the belief within the camp.
At the start of the press conference, Aroob extended condolences on behalf of the team to her teammate Shawaal Zulfiqar, whose father passed away on October 13. “We as a team express our deepest condolences to her and her family on this irreparable loss. It’s very sad news for all of us,” she said.
When asked about Pakistan’s batting woes, Aroob admitted that the side hasn’t clicked yet but revealed that the management has been proactive in discussions.
“After losing three matches, we sat down and discussed where we’ve gone wrong and what needs to improve. The combination we’ve been backing is the same one that helped us win during the qualifiers and against South Africa in the bilateral series. We still trust our players to make a comeback. If we keep following our processes in training, I believe we can bounce back strongly in the next match.”
Pakistan’s batting unit has struggled to convert starts into big scores, particularly while chasing. Aroob explained that venue conditions have varied significantly, compared to the games in India.
“The matches in India and other venues have had very different conditions. We don’t always get a clear idea of how the wickets will behave. But as I said, our focus is on improving our own processes. If we can post totals above 200, we’ll give ourselves a real chance to win.”
Despite playing in familiar conditions, Aroob was realistic about the so-called home advantage. “Yes, we’ve been here for some time, but the other teams are also well-prepared. We can’t rely on that advantage alone. We’ll have to play good cricket consistently to see results.”
Pakistan’s semifinal hopes look slim, but Aroob maintained optimism, “The tournament is still open. Many teams lose their early matches and still bounce back. We believe if we play good cricket and take it match by match, we can still make it to the semifinals.”
As part of Pakistan’s strong spin group, Aroob embraced the responsibility that comes with it. She shared, “Spin is our strength. We have world class spinners like Nashra Sandhu and Sadia Iqbal who are bowling really well. I’m benched, not taken the field yet. I’m preparing for my opportunity and staying confident because spin is our biggest asset.”
The young spinner also spoke about learning from senior players and observing other top performers. “It’s a great opportunity to watch and learn from other spinners, it’s a treat to the eyes. Even in our team, there is Sadia Iqbal, she’s currently ranked No. 2 in the world and is a big inspiration for me in the team. I’m constantly trying to improve and learn from such players.”
Looking ahead to the England game, Aroob said the team has done its homework, “We’ve studied our matchups against England and planned accordingly. If we execute our plans well and stick to our process, we can be on the winning side.”
When asked about what a defendable total would be, Aroob was clear about Pakistan’s approach, “Bowling is our strength, and we’re looking for totals above 200. If we bat first, we’ll aim for 200-plus; if we bowl first, we’ll try to restrict them under 200.”
With four matches remaining, Pakistan will be desperate to open their account in the tournament. A win against England, the most dominant side so far, could spark the revival they’ve been searching for.
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