Pakistan women’s cricket team captain Fatima Sana draws inspiration from India’s World Cup-winning skipper MS Dhoni and aspires to become ‘Captain Cool’ like him, as she prepares to lead her side to the 50-over World Cup later this month.

The Women’s World Cup, scheduled to commence on September 30, is being co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka with Pakistan set to play all its matches in the island nation following an agreement reached between the BCCI and the PCB.

Pakistan, who remained unbeaten in the qualifiers held in April, will start their campaign against Bangladesh in Colombo on October 2.

“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,” Fatima told PTI Bhasha in an interview ahead of the World Cup.

“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,” she said.

Dhoni retired from international cricket on August 15, 2020, while Fatima made her ODI debut against South Africa on May 6, 2019.

Pakistan have played the Women’s ODI World Cup five times (1997, 2009, 2013, 2017 and 2022) but went without a single win in 1997, 2013 and 2017. In 2022, their only victory was against the West Indies in Hamilton, and the team finished last after losing all the other matches.

All-rounder Fatima, who has scored 397 runs and taken 45 wickets in 34 ODIs, is confident that the jinx will be broken this time around because the young players are aware their performance will decide the future of women’s cricket in the country.

“This time, the jinx will definitely be broken because the young players know how important this tournament is for Pakistan women’s cricket. We will not think about the past. My goal is to take the team to the semifinals,” she added.

“In Pakistan, girls have started playing cricket in schools and international matches are being telecast live. ICC has also taken a good initiative by increasing the prize money for the Women’s World Cup, which will inspire budding players in Pakistan. But there is still a barrier which we have to break through this tournament,” she said.

“In our country, women’s cricket is not seen as a career option. But if we play well, it will make a huge difference. Our effort will be to inspire parents in Pakistan to encourage their girls to make a career in sports,” said the all-rounder.

She feels that bowlers will be the key to the team’s success, but also insisted that a lot of work has also been done on batting in the last one year.

“We have top-class bowlers in the team and spinners will be our trump card. We will depend more on bowling than batting but in the last one year, we have worked a lot on batting and we will get results,” she said.

She said the focus will be on maintaining the rhythm of the qualifiers, and the three-match series against South Africa before the tournament will help in preparing the team combination.

“The team is in good rhythm and after the good performance in the qualifiers, everyone’s morale is high. More or less the same players are in the team who played in the qualifiers. This is the first World Cup for six players and they are very excited.”

The team, which is practising in Lahore, has played only domestic matches after the qualifiers in April but the captain is satisfied with the preparations.

“We had played matches among ourselves in domestic cricket. Before the tournament, we will play a series with South Africa in which we will try to prepare the team combination. We would like the players to play naturally without the pressure of the World Cup,” she said.

Calling Australia a strong contender for the title, Fatima said it is not possible to predict the four semifinalists but India’s performance has also been consistently good.

“My favourite team is Australia. It is difficult to predict the semifinalists but India’s performance has been very good in the last few years. They have very experienced players like Jemimah (Rodrigues), Smriti (Mandhana) and Harmanpreet (Kaur) but we will not focus on any one player.”

She also said that being the hosts, there will be added pressure on India but there will also be the advantage of playing on home grounds.

“India have never won the World Cup and being the host, there will be pressure to win. But along with this, the presence of home fans also boosts the morale. It depends on the team how it takes it.”

A big fan of Australian star Ellyse Perry, Fatima started playing street cricket with her brothers at the age of 11 in Karachi. She lost her father during the T20 World Cup last year, but chose national duty over personal grief.

Fatima’s grit and determination was reminiscent of Sachin Tendulkar, who returned to play the 1999 World Cup after his father’s death. Virat Kohli, as a teenager lost his father, after which he played a Ranji Trophy game the very next day.

“My father dreamed of watching me play in the World Cup. I went back to play to fulfil his wish. I knew that Virat also did the same.”

Published – September 04, 2025 04:24 am IST

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MS Dhoni (L) and Sanju Samson© X (Twitter)

Former India all-rounder Suresh Raina shed light on how the world saw the birth of the ‘Dhoni Review System’ during their 2013 Champions Trophy winning campaign. India’s 2013 Champions Trophy win saw them comprehensively outclass the best teams en route to an unbeaten tournament triumph. Their second game against the West Indies showcased their dominance in all aspects, as India secured an eight-wicket victory over a dangerous opponent. On a special episode of JioHotstar’s The Suresh Raina Experience: Champions Trophy Special, Raina highlighted MS Dhoni’s tactical brilliance in managing bowling innings, emphasising how the wicket-keeper batter maximized the team’s success with accurate DRS calls, an aggressive field setup, and bold decisions.

“The Oval is a batting-friendly surface. But if you consider the weather in Wales, you need to look up at the skies as well as down at the pitch. This is where the Dhoni Review System started. Every DRS he called was correct,” Raina remarked.

“Look at him behind the stumps, taking catches. The best part was his attacking field placements,” Raina added. “Virat Kohli was in the slips, Ashwin was at leg slip, and Dhoni was behind the stumps. He knew how to build pressure. This was the rise of T20 cricket, where players were always looking to attack. His masterstroke was bringing in spinners and challenging them to attack.”

The bowling masterclass by Ravindra Jadeja in that match did not go unnoticed by Raina, who marvelled at his teammate’s brilliance in returning figures of 5-36.

“Jadeja and Ashwin bowled exceptionally well. Dhoni knew that the opposition would try to take on the spinners. That’s his astute leadership, but I have to praise Ravi Jadeja’s excellent bowling. He kept it at the stumps and became a different kind of all-rounder.

“Jadeja was in top form that year across formats. If the wicket was dry, he became even more lethal,” Raina continued. “He could bowl with pace, and batters couldn’t react in time. He was also incredibly accurate. He bowled fast spin, straight deliveries, and MS knew that if Jaddu could target the stumps for 35-40 deliveries out of 60, he would take five wickets,” Raina said.

That tournament also saw Indian batters like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Raina himself stepping in to bowl whenever the captain deemed it necessary. Raina discussed Kohli’s contributions with the ball in this match while crediting Dhoni’s leadership.

“Virat is a quality batter, but he enjoyed bowling a lot until he developed back tightness. If you’re a slow medium pacer, it’s fun to bowl in England. Virat knew he could contribute 3-4 overs. You have to credit MS Dhoni here as a captain. He knew how to extract overs from part-time bowlers: ‘Virat, come here. Rohit, come here. Raina, come here.’ That’s 10 overs right there.”

He further explained how Dhoni and the management at the time ensured that non-specialist bowlers were always ready to contribute, complementing the team’s core bowling attack. “You had five frontline bowlers: Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Ravindra Jadeja. After that, what options did you have? Virat could bowl three overs, Rohit could bowl two, and I could bowl one or three. Dhoni had this extra edge – he created a perfect balance, which wasn’t easy to do.”

The Rohit Sharma-led side will begin their Champions Trophy campaign against Bangladesh in Dubai on February 20.

It has been nearly six years since he walked away from international cricket but retirement from the Indian Premier League might not be imminent for the legendary MS Dhoni, who wants to enjoy playing cricket like a “child”. The 43-year-old former captain, who led India to World Cup wins in 2011 (ODI) and 2007 (T20) along with the Champions Trophy triumph in 2013, last made his international appearance for the country in June 2019. While Dhoni called time to his international career in August 2019, he continues to feature in the IPL for Chennai Super Kings who retained him ahead of the mega auction last year.

He will now play as an uncapped player, having spent more than five years as a retired player from international cricket.

“I’ve retired since 2019, so it will be quite some time. What I’ve been doing in the meantime is I just want to enjoy cricket for the last, whatever few years, you know, I will be able to play,” Dhoni’s said on Wednesday during the launch of his app powered by Single.id.

“I want to enjoy it, how I did as a child when I was in school. When I lived in a colony, 4 o’clock (in the afternoon) was sports time, so we’ll go and play cricket more often than not.

“But if the weather doesn’t permit, we used to play football. I want to play with the same kind of innocence… (but it is) easier said than done,” he added.

Dhoni said as an India player his focus was always to give his best for the country and everything else came second.

“For me as a cricketer, I always wanted to perform for the Indian cricket team because I’ve said that in the past also, that not everybody gets a chance to represent the country,” he said.

“For us as cricketers, whenever we went on to the big stage or whenever we were touring, there was a chance for us to win laurels for the country and so for me it was the country that always came first.” Dhoni advised young players to identify what is “good for you” and set the priorities right.

“You always need to figure out what is good for you. When I was playing, I made sure that cricket was a whole for me — nothing else mattered. What time I had to sleep? What time I had to get up? What impact it had on (my) cricket, that was the most important thing,” he said.

“You know, all the friendships, the fun, all those can happen later. There is a right time for everything and I felt if you are able to recognise that, that’s the best thing you can do (for yourself).” 

Ahead of the start of the ICC Champions Trophy, former India all-rounder Suresh Raina reminisced about the ‘masterstroke’ moment of the MS Dhoni-led side during their 2013 edition’s title-winning campaign in England. India’s Champions Trophy 2013 win will be remembered in the annals of history, as the national team went undefeated throughout the tournament. On a special episode of JioHotstar’s ‘The Suresh Raina Experience: Champions Trophy Special,’ Raina reflected on how India’s opening match of the tournament against South Africa marked the meteoric rise of the opening duo, Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan.

Raina called the decision to commit to the Rohit-Dhawan opening pair a masterstroke, highlighting their success in the tournament and beyond.

“That was a masterstroke by the team management. Just look at the way they batted – they focused on timing the ball rather than forcing shots. They attacked, but only when the delivery deserved it. Rohit Sharma is technically very sound. He wore the ball down before accelerating the scoring rate. Then you had Shikhar Dhawan stepping out and taking on the bowlers. Left-right combinations always trouble bowlers, and Shikhar was an aggressive striker in a different way. Rohit could hit a six whenever he wanted,” Raina said.

“Their run rate consistently stayed at 8 or 9. They cleared the ropes with ease. A 100-run partnership quickly turned into a 150-run stand. One of them was always looking to push for a century. Their understanding was excellent – they trusted each other’s calls and spent so much time together,” he added.

While Dhawan had cemented his place as India’s opening batter, he saw a revolving door of partners in 2012. Rohit Sharma, who had missed out on the 2011 ICC World Cup victory, finally secured the role in 2013. Raina detailed how Rohit found his way back into the squad and locked in a position he has held for the past many years.

“The way he was timing the ball – it was exceptional. He worked incredibly hard on improving his batting. He had long discussions with Duncan (Fletcher) and shared a great rapport with MS (Dhoni). Big tournaments create big players because there’s a major trophy on the line. He wasn’t picked for the 2011 World Cup, but when 2013 came around, he grabbed the opening spot – and he still holds it,” the former batter explained.

Dhawan scored 114 runs off 94 deliveries, while Sharma contributed 65 runs off 81 balls, forming a 127-run partnership that lasted over 20 overs. Raina reflected on his six-over spell, which helped contain South Africa’s run chase after India’s fast bowlers struggled on a dry wicket.

“The wicket was very dry, so everyone had to adjust their fielding and bowling. Having a sixth bowling option — whether it was Virat, Rohit, or Suresh Raina — gave the captain an extra level of comfort. At that point, MS didn’t have any more full-time bowlers left. As a captain, you need options for those tricky four to five overs. MS knew that if a left-hander came to bat, he could turn to me. I could take wickets and disrupt the opposition’s rhythm. We were lucky to have several players in the squad who could bowl four to six overs. You saw this in the 2011 squad as well, and in 2013, it was me, Virat, and Rohit stepping in when needed,” he said.

Raina also shared insights into his mindset while executing his bowling plans and said, “I understood the angles of my bowling, kept it straight at the stumps, and didn’t offer too much pace. I knew if I bowled three good overs, I’d earn a fourth. I focused on staying composed and unfazed. My job was to field well, but the captain trusted me to stay within my ability and deliver with the ball.”

India will open their Champions Trophy campaign against Bangladesh in Dubai on February 20.

Veteran wicket-keeper batter Dinesh Karthik, who has retired from both international cricket and the Indian Premier League, became the top-scoring wicket-keeper batter in the nation’s history, surpassing MS Dhoni, with his exploits in SA20 league. However, when asked about the elite milestone, Karthik said that he never really cared for records as his only aim while playing cricket was to represent the country. Though he is happy to have beaten Dhoni to the No. 1 spot, he knows that the Thala can retake the record in the IPL 2025 season.

“I played a lot of my cricket wanting to play for India. And when I retired from the IPL and playing in India six months ago… I think that was most important – trying to play for the country and doing well. I have never been someone who has been fascinated by records, probably because I don’t have great records. I don’t know,” Karthik, who played for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the IPL before retirement, said.

“It’s great to know that I overtook Dhoni, but it won’t be long before he overtakes me. It really wouldn’t trouble me much. I am happy for him to keep that record as the highest run-scorer as a wicketkeeper – I don’t even know what exactly it is. It’s okay, it’s nice to know, but it’s not something that I crave or really want,” he added.

Karthik also got the opportunity to run shoulders with England’s modern-day great Joe Root during his time in South Africa at Paarl Royals.

“Playing with Joe Root was one of the highlights for me in this tournament. I haven’t interacted with him much before – I’ve just said ‘hello, hi’ when I’ve seen him – but to rub shoulders with him and share the same dressing room was fantastic. What a terrific personality!” said Karthik.

“He is a legend of the game. He will easily go down as one of the greatest batters to have ever played the sport. But the attitude he brings – warm, welcoming, and always eager to help the youngsters – is remarkable. He always wants to have fun and ensures the team enjoys themselves.

“We had this push-up contest after the match – all started by him. The energy he brings and the genuineness he shows towards the sport were wonderful. It was one of the best experiences, playing with such a legend. He was very relaxed, and it was a lot of fun,” Karthik added.

Karthik has scored a total of 7537 runs in T20 cricket, giving him a 105-run lead over MS Dhoni.

The Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2025 season started off with a bang, as defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) pulled off the highest-ever successful run chase in the history of the tournament, against Gujarat Giants (GG). Chasing 202, RCB seemed to be staring at defeat before a thunderbolt partnership of 93 off just 37 balls between India stars Richa Ghosh and Kanika Ahuja took them over the line with more than an over to spare. Wicket-keeper batter Richa slammed an astonishing 64 off just 27 balls, and earned comparisons from fans to legendary Indian men’s wicket-keeper batter MS Dhoni.

Coming in to bat with RCB requiring around 12 runs an over, Richa smashed four sixes and seven boundaries to take the reigning champions home.

Richa’s knock saw fans compare her to Dhoni, widely regarded as one of the greatest finishers in white-ball cricket.

“Richa Ghosh just did a Dhoni… for RCB,” posted one user on X.

“Richa Ghosh is the mirror image of MS Dhoni,” said another fan.

“Richa’s WPL stats read 36/145 (average/strike rate), absolutely elite numbers for the role she’s playing. Some player…,” tweeted a third.

Richa Ghosh just did a Dhoni… for RCB pic.twitter.com/1ZcyrR0mMa

— yash. (@YaxhSinghTomar) February 14, 2025

Richa Ghosh is the mirror image of legend MS Dhoni https://t.co/15mzyKFBv6

— MOHAMMADUL ISLAM (@786MOHAMMADUL) February 14, 2025

Like this tweet if you think Richa Ghosh is a better finisher than MS Dhoni. https://t.co/HfogSMCgCO

— (@Jalebi_fafda__) February 14, 2025

Richa in the WPL stats read 36/145, absolutely elite numbers for the role she’s playing. Some player..

— Prashanth (@ps_it_is) February 14, 2025

Richa’s similarities to Dhoni are uncanny. Both hail from the eastern side of India (Richa from Siliguri, West Bengal; Dhoni from Ranchi, Jharkhand), and have built a reputation of being middle-order power-hitters with the ability to finish off games.

Richa was dropped first ball by Gujarat player Simran Shaikh, and was only on 15 runs after her first 12 balls. However, from there on, Richa went berserk, helping her team cross the line with nine balls to spare.

Still only 21, Richa had hit 257 runs at a strike rate of 142 as RCB lifted the title in 2024. If the first game of 2025 is anything to go by, she will well surpass that effort this time around.

Gujarat Giants vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru: As it happened

A scintillating knock of 79 off 37 by captain Ashleigh Gardner had helped Gujarat post a daunting 201 on the board.

Fellow Australian Ellyse Perry set the foundation for the chase with a 34-ball 57. But when she got out, RCB still needed 93 more to win.

Richa’s knock was ably supported by Kanika Ahuja, who aced four boundaries in a knock of 30 off just 13 balls. Their partnership was scored at a run rate of 15.08 per over, the second-fastest partnership of 50 runs or beyond in WPL history.

RCB next take on Delhi Capitals in WPL 2025, on February 17.

Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin recalled MS Dhoni’s on-field tactical brilliance during the 2013 Champions Trophy final against England and said he was left surprised with the latter’s advice to get rid of Jonathan Trott. India faced host nation England in the final at Edgbaston in Birmingham, where rain interruptions curtailed the encounter to a 20-over affair. Dhoni’s captaincy shone as India defended their total of 129 runs. Recalling the former captain’s game awareness and strategic thinking, Ashwin narrated the story behind dismissing Trott during a special episode of JioHotstar’s Unbeaten: Dhoni’s Dynamites.

“I still remember Mahi bhai came up to me and said, ‘Don’t bowl over the stumps to Trott; bowl from around the wicket. He’ll try to play on the leg side, and if the ball spins, he’ll get stumped.’ I still can’t believe how he predicted that,” Ashwin said.

India’s unbeaten streak throughout the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2013 and victory against England in the final under MS Dhoni added another unforgettable chapter to its rich cricketing legacy.

Former India wicket-keeper Dinesh Karthik, a key member of the squad, reflected on the team’s resilience and Dhoni’s ability to make crucial decisions under pressure.

“This was our chance to show what cricket meant to Team India. We were resilient, we fought back, and we had the mindset to never give up. England were cruising; they were almost there and could have easily crossed the line. But Dhoni made some brilliant tactical moves, and the bowlers backed him up,” Karthik said.

Former India batter and commentator Akash Chopra emphasised that the 2013 Champions Trophy was a testament to Dhoni’s leadership. “This was his tournament through and through. It had Dhoni written all over it. He had almost crafted this team in his own image and engineered victory after victory… That was a story written by the heavens,” he said.

A pivotal moment came when Dhoni brought Ishant Sharma back into the attack despite an underwhelming first spell. Following Dhoni’s advice to vary his pace with slower deliveries, Sharma took back-to-back wickets of Eoin Morgan and Ravi Bopara in the 17th over, swinging the match in India’s favour.

Chopra described it as one of Sharma’s most remarkable feats, praising Dhoni’s instinct for bringing out the best in his players. “That turned out to be the most magical thing Ishant has done in his life. He changed up the pace and took two crucial wickets back-to-back. That’s when you realize Dhoni has the Midas touch – whatever he touches turns to gold.”

In the final over, Dhoni made the bold decision to trust Ashwin, a spinner, to bowl the last six balls. This unexpected move paid off as Ashwin held his nerve, securing a narrow five-run victory. Chopra explained why this decision worked, noting Dhoni’s unwavering belief in Ashwin’s abilities. “Throwing the ball to a spinner in the 20th over is a huge gamble. But Dhoni had complete confidence in Ashwin – not just in his skills, but in his mindset and ability to handle pressure,” Chopra said.

Former India all-rounder Suresh Raina, another integral member of the squad, spoke about the significance of India’s undefeated run, contrasting it with their 2011 World Cup experience, where they had faced four losses. “We lost four matches in the 2011 World Cup, and it was a tough experience. But a win like this defines your career. We worked so hard, and the entire Indian team earned this honour,” Raina said.

Rohit Sharma-led India will begin their Champions Trophy campaign against Bangladesh in Dubai on February 20.