File Pic: Harmanpreet Kaur leads out the team. (Getty Images)

BENGALURU: With a 137-run win over Hong Kong, India sealed their place in the Women’s Asia Cup semifinals with a match to spare. Their final league outing, however, will be their toughest test yet after they brushed aside minnows Thailand and Hong Kong in their opening two games.On Saturday in Dubai, Harmanpreet Kaur and her team take on cross-border rivals Pakistan in what could serve as a dress rehearsal ahead of next week’s semifinal.With India’s middle order still a concern, former India captain Mithali Raj has urged the team to focus on cricket rather than get consumed by the noise surrounding the rivalry.“You prepare for the cricket, not the noise. Understand your role, anticipate what the opposition may do and know how you will respond. We cannot control what people say outside, but we can control our preparation, communication and reaction under pressure. Clarity of role makes it easier to block out the noise,” the former star batter told TOI.India have dominated Pakistan in T20 cricket, winning 17 of their 20 meetings, but Mithali believes the numbers matter little once the two sides walk out.“It’s an emotional and traditional rivalry. The India vs Pakistan game means a lot to each player. Winning this game is a matter of pride and therefore, the added pressure on the team to perform,” she said.Sending a message to the Indian team, the 43-year-old added: “For the players, it is a cricket match after all, and it’s important to keep calm to do well on the ground. If you focus too much on what it means outside the boundary, you create unnecessary pressure. The atmosphere and expectations will be different, but once you cross the boundary, you have to focus on your role and the team’s plans. I believe India, of course, are the favourites to win the match.”Mithali also believes the Asia Cup should be viewed as more than just preparation for the upcoming Asian Games, where India will defend the gold medal they won on their debut in the previous edition.“Having lost the last edition of the Asia Cup, India will be looking to reclaim the title. I don’t think they will necessarily look at this tournament only as preparation for the Asian Games,” she pointed out.For the developing teams in the competition, Mithali feels the tournament offers an important platform to measure their progress against the best.“The Asia Cup allows developing sides to test themselves against the best. The gap in experience and resources still exists, but it is narrowing. With cricket now an Olympic sport and also part of the Asian Games, teams have more platforms to compete.”“If you look at the recent two World Cups across different formats, teams like Pakistan and Bangladesh have shown that they can put the top teams under pressure. Tournaments like the Asia Cup are also a good indicator of how much the game has developed across different countries,” Mithali explained.(Watch ACC Women's Asia Cup 2026 on Sony Sports Ten 1 SD & HD and Sony LIV)