India have hit the ground running, beating Sri Lanka by 59 runs in the tournament opener last week. And now they match up against another Asian rival with big dreams, Pakistan, who suffered a defeat at the hands of Bangladesh in their tournament opener.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cThere will be pressure. That\u2019s why India vs Pakistan has become such a big clash, even in the Women\u2019s World Cup. Otherwise, it wouldn\u2019t matter as much. India has played Pakistan before and generally, done well. But because of the so-called controversies that surround such matches, I\u2019m sure the Indian team management and players have prepared simulations to perform under pressure,\" Karim said on JioHotstar.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"The best approach for India and the team management is to remove all outside distractions and focus on the game ahead. I\u2019m confident that, with the experience of the Indian players and support staff, the team will put up a strong performance without being affected by any controversies. That said, I do agree that some pressure will exist for the Indian side,\" he added.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
With India being the tournament\u2019s co-hosts alongside Sri Lanka, they have the home advantage and are dubbed as favourites to win. Karim, speaking on the challenges that the Women in Blue could face as they progress in the tournament, said, \"For India, the biggest challenge or factor would be to sustain good form, both individually, and as a team. For someone like Smriti Mandhana to maintain that level throughout the tournament will be a huge task, because the team will play at different venues against a variety of oppositions.\"<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"Similarly, it\u2019s the same story for the rest of the players. Experienced players need strong recovery programs so they can maintain peak performance. And there will be pressure because expectations have risen.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"India is being talked about as a strong contender to lift the World Cup, so that pressure will also build up. But I am confident that, as a team, India can absorb the pressure and enjoy the challenges ahead. These are a few factors essential for India\u2019s success,\" he said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The team faced some injury scares before beginning their campaign, as Arundhatti Reddy suffered a blow to her leg during a warm-up game against England. Moreover, Sneh Rana too looked in trouble during her time on the field against Sri Lanka in the tournament opener.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"India is being talked about as a strong contender to lift the World Cup, so that pressure will also build up. But I am confident that, as a team, India can absorb the pressure and enjoy the challenges ahead. These are a few factors essential for India\u2019s success,\" he said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"The team management, especially the fielding coach, is working very hard on this. The goal is to minimise drop-catch percentages, and that will help India remain in contention to lift the World Cup,\" he signed off.<\/p>\r\n\r\n