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"We have to accept it": Fatima Sana points out Pakistan's faults after Women's World Cup exit

Soumyajit Dutta

Fatima Sana opens up after World Cup exit [Source: @ruthwa_alam/X.com]Fatima Sana opens up after World Cup exit [Source: @ruthwa_alam/X.com]

In a rain-disrupted match in Colombo that saw Marizanne Kapp's all-round brilliance, Pakistan's Women's World Cup campaign was ended by a dominant South Africa, who sealed a massive 150-run victory (via DLS). 

The loss, built on a colossal South African total and a subsequent Pakistan batting collapse, left skipper Fatima Sana to deliver a sombre and honest assessment of her team's performance.

Fatima Sana's candid assessment of failure

At the post-match presentation, a dejected Fatima Sana did not mince words, pointing directly to the bowlers' off-day and a lack of belief in the batting lineup as the primary reasons for the heavy defeat.

"I think today is the day bowlers didn't perform well. We have to accept it. They played very well but we needed to be calmer in those situations,” Sana added, acknowledging the pressure applied by the South African batters, as quoted by GeoSuper.

She went on to explain the immense difficulty her bowlers faced after the rain interruptions, which altered the conditions significantly. 

“I think after the second over, and after the rain, it was a different situation because the conditions and the ball were wet. We tried to find rhythm but it was very difficult to bowl. We just tried to bowl good length on the stumps but because of the wet ball the bowlers couldn't execute the plans,” Sana added.

When asked about the batting collapse that saw Pakistan lose four early wickets, her analysis was equally forthright. 

“We know the pitch is good and the way they played, it looked like a good track, but still we lost early wickets and we didn't get partnerships. After that we just tried to build partnerships. We just need to believe more in ourselves. Maybe some batters didn't have belief," Sana concluded.

South Africa outclass Pakistan in rain-curtailed affair

Sent in to bat first in a 40-over contest, South Africa posted a mammoth 312 for 9, their highest World Cup total, powered by Laura Wolvaardt's 90 and a devastating late blitz from Kapp (68* off 43) and Nadine de Klerk (41 off 16). 

Chasing a daunting adjusted target, Pakistan's innings never found momentum, crumbling to 83 for 7 in their 20 overs as Kapp's menacing new-ball spell shattered their top order.

The defeat marks the end of Pakistan's journey in the tournament, a campaign that promised much but ultimately fell short. For South Africa, the victory seals their fifth consecutive win and propels them to the top of the table, setting up a thrilling final group-stage clash against Australia.