NEW DELHI: Former India captain MS Dhoni's calm and composed demeanour on the field earned him the tag of 'Captain Cool,' which also set a precedent for other team leaders to follow: no matter what the situation, one must remain focused and grounded.
Pakistan women's cricket team captain Fatima Sana is drawing inspiration from MS Dhoni as she gears up for the Women's World Cup 2025, set to begin on September 30 and jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka.
Ahead of the tournament, Sana admitted to feeling nervous about leading her side on the big stage. However, she shared that she often watches Dhoni's interviews and tries to imbibe his trademark calmness to guide her leadership.
"It is natural to be a little nervous initially when captaining in a big tournament like the World Cup, but I take inspiration from Mahendra Singh Dhoni as a captain. I have seen his matches as India and CSK captain. His on-field decision-making, calmness and the way he backs his players, there is a lot to learn from that. When I got the captaincy, I thought that I have to become like Dhoni. I also watched his interviews and got to learn a lot," Sana told PTI.
Ahead of the World Cup, Pakistan will face South Africa in a three-match ODI series starting September 16, followed by two warm-up matches against Sri Lanka.
Pakistan secured their World Cup spot through the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup Qualifier in April 2024, finishing at the top of the table by winning all five of their matches, including key victories over West Indies and Bangladesh under the leadership of Fatima Sana.
