Jemimah Rodrigues says India must “not lose to Pakistan” ahead of Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 opener

With the 2026 Women's T20 World Cup underway, Indian batting maestro Jemimah Rodrigues has one big declaration before India Women get ready for their first match against old rivals Pakistan.

Despite the expectations, Jemimah Rodrigues said the Indian team remains focused on a bigger goal — lifting their maiden Women's T20 World Cup trophy.

Ahead of India’s Women’s T20 World Cup opener against Pakistan, Jemimah Rodrigues said the rivalry brings immense pressure, recalling how even her building watchman stresses the importance of beating Pakistan. Despite the expectations, she said the team remains focused on winning its maiden T20 World Cup title, with extensive preparation and mental conditioning boosting confidence.

New Delhi: India batter Jemimah Rodrigues says the pressure surrounding an India-Pakistan clash is unlike any other in cricket, revealing that even her building watchman reminds her of the importance of defeating the arch-rivals as the two sides prepare to meet in their opening match of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 in Birmingham on Sunday.Few contests in cricket compare to India vs Pakistan. ⚡#JemimahRodrigues shares what it means to be part of one of the sport's biggest rivalries and the excitement that comes with it. ICC Women’s #T20WorldCup 2026 #INDvPAK | SUN, 14th June, 6 PM! pic.twitter.com/b3SJg8Z4QR— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) June 11, 2026 India-Pakistan rivalry pressureSpeaking on JioStar's Rodrigues reflected on her first experience of the fierce rivalry and the expectations that come with it."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,'" Rodrigues said."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.”"They love this rivalry!" #HarmanpreetKaur, #JemimahRodrigues & #DeeptiSharma speak on what makes the India-Pakistan rivalry so fierce. ICC Women's #T20WorldCup 2026 | Starts 12th June #INDvPAK | SUN, 14th June pic.twitter.com/NNkMUeMDxb— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) June 12, 2026 Focus on World Cup gloryDespite the expectations, Rodrigues said the Indian team remains focused on a bigger goal — lifting their maiden Women’s T20 World Cup trophy."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."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.”ICC Women’s T20 World Cup: Danni Wyatt-Hodge Century Powers England To 87-Run Victory Over Sri Lanka In Opening Match | Video Preparation under pressureRodrigues also highlighted the team's extensive preparations leading into the tournament, stressing the importance of training under pressure."We prepare differently for every game. 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," she said."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."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."Heartbreaking Scenes! Manu Bhaker In Tears As She Pays Her Last Respects To Coach Jaspal Rana | VIDEO Muzumdar on team approachIndia head coach Amol Muzumdar, meanwhile, cautioned against focusing too heavily 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," Muzumdar said."All you need to do is stay calm, keep your cool, and go out there and deliver what you're supposed to.”(Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by FPJ's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)