'We put the same amount of effort into each game. But there's definitely a lot of emotion attached to the India-Pakistan games'
Smriti Mandhana, India's vice-captain, has emphasised the immense challenge of facing Australia in the Women's T20 World Cup.
She stated that there are no shortcuts to defeating the six-time world champions and every team must bring their A-game to compete against them.
Australia's dominance in the tournament is undeniable, having won the last three editions.
Even with the departure of former captain Meg Lanning, Alyssa Healy has seamlessly stepped into the role and continues to lead the team with great success.
"Every game in the World Cup is important, and you have to give your 100 per cent in each one. New Zealand and Sri Lanka are strong teams, but with Australia, you know you can't afford to make mistakes," said Mandhana as India gear up to take on New Zealand in a Group A match in Dubai on Friday.
"You have to bring your best game on that particular day to get the better of them. There's always excitement when facing Australia because they're such a good team, and beating them is a great challenge," added the India vice-captain.
She added that the clash against Pakistan always brings out a lot of passionate response from the players. The arch-rival will lock horns in Dubai on October 6.
"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," Mandhana said.
"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," said the veteran of 141 T20Is.
Mandhana said that playing Pakistan in the afternoon heat of Dubai would be challenge and that her team had a couple of sessions lined up to acclimatise to the conditions.
"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," she said.
Smriti Mandhana opened up on the India-Pakistan rivalry and said that a lot of "emotion attached" to it.
Speaking to Star Sports, Mandhana said that it is due to the emotions of the fans, which make it an intense clash.
"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," Mandhana was quoted in a release from Star Sports as saying.
When asked about rivalry against Australia, she added that the Women in Blue cannot afford to make a mistake against the Aussies.
In the last edition of the T20 World Cup in 2022, India again came close to making history, storming into the semi-finals. However, Australia proved to be a stumbling block once again in the final four.
Last year, Australia defeated South Africa at home by 19 runs to win their sixth title. Meanwhile, India made it to the semifinals, losing to the Aussies by five runs.
