Kaur acknowledged the immense pressure that comes with an India-Pakistan game.
India will open their Women's T20 World Cup 2026 campaign against arch-rivals Pakistan at Edgbaston, Birmingham on Sunday (June 14).
On the eve of the game, skipper Harmanpreet Kaur stressed that cricket remains the only topic of discussion between teammates, while also adding her side is fully focused on the game rather than anything beyond it.
Kaur acknowledged the immense pressure that comes with an India-Pakistan game but emphasized that embracing and enjoying the moment is the best approach to handling it.
During last year's ODI World Cup match, Kaur and her Pakistan counterpart Fatima Sana had snubbed handshake at the toss.
When specifically asked about the pre-match greetings in a press conference, Harmanpreet Kaur deflected the chatter by saying, "I think we are here for cricket, and we only talk about cricket, except that we don't talk about anything, and I don't even talk about anything except cricket. Cricket has been our dream from day one, and we only discuss cricket and tomorrow's game, we are only thinking about it."
The India captain stated that despite the hype and fan expectations, the team's primary directive is simply to treat it as "another game" and give 100% effort on the field.
"It's another game which we are going to play. Definitely, pressure is going to be there. Whenever we play against Pakistan, pressure is going to be there. But at the same time, it's only about how we are going to enjoy that pressure. Because in any international game, pressure is going to be there. It's only about just giving you 100% on that game and enjoying every moment," she added.
Having ended their ICC trophy drought by lifting the ODI World Cup last year, the Indian team is looking to build on that success in the Women's T20 World Cup.
The Women in Blue have historically been a major force in the T20 World Cup, securing five semi-final appearances and one runners-up finish in 2020. However, they are yet to clinch the coveted title.