Still searching for a sense of direction in the ICC Women’s World Cup, Pakistan will take on a rampant Australian side at the R. Premadasa Stadium on Wednesday, hoping to spark a turnaround against the tournament’s most complete outfit.

Fatima Sana’s charges have endured a tough start to their campaign, slumping to heavy defeats against Bangladesh and India. Their batting has wavered, their bowling has lacked consistency, and their fielding has been short of international standard — a combination that has left them bottom of the eight-team table with little margin for error.

But ahead of their clash with the defending champions, Pakistan’s senior batter Sidra Amin struck a note of quiet defiance.

“I think tomorrow is a big game for us as a team,” she said at the pre-match press conference on Tuesday.

“We are a good batting side, but as batters, we have to spend more time on the wicket so that we can execute our plans and assess the conditions really well.”

Sidra, one of the few bright spots in Pakistan’s otherwise bleak campaign, scored a fighting half-century against India and has been a steadying presence at the top of the order. She admitted that the team’s batting collapses have often been self-inflicted.

“If we look at the bigger picture, we’ve been leaving around five to seven overs — that’s about 42 balls,” she pointed out. “If we tackle things this way, the number of dot balls and the pressure will reduce. As batters, we need to take more responsibility, stay longer on the wicket, and play the maximum number of overs.”

Pakistan’s inability to post a competitive total has been their undoing in both matches so far. They mustered only 160 against Bangladesh and folded for 180 against India, failing to bat their full quota of overs on both occasions. With middle-order batters struggling for fluency and the lower order offering little resistance, the team’s overreliance on Sidra, Fatima, and Muneeba Ali has become glaring.

Even their bowling, traditionally Pakistan’s strength, has been inconsistent. The new-ball pairing of Fatima and Diana Baig has lacked rhythm, and the spinners have struggled for control in conditions that should ideally suit them. Pakistan conceded 18 extras against Bangladesh — a reflection of their discipline woes — though Diana’s four-wicket haul against India hinted at some improvement.

“The discussions are ongoing,” Sidra said when asked about the team’s approach. “Our coach has guided us individually. He can tell us what to do, but as players, how we tackle things is what matters. Everyone knows our team is strong in bowling, and our spinners and attacking bowlers could cause problems for two or three of their batters — that might help us in this game.”

However, even familiarity with the conditions — with Pakistan playing all their matches in Colombo — may not suffice against an Australian side that has looked a cut above.

“Yes, we have an edge in that sense,” Sidra admitted. “But how the team uses that edge is very important. They’re a very well-prepared side. I heard that when they’re training for Asian conditions, they even set up indoor facilities at 35–40 degrees to simulate the heat. That’s the kind of preparation they do.”

Australia, led by Alyssa Healy, enter the contest as firm favourites. Their campaign so far has been near-flawless, marked by powerful batting displays and disciplined bowling. They remain the only team to have posted a 300-plus total in the tournament — a feat they achieved in their commanding 89-run win over New Zealand in Indore, where Ashleigh Gardner’s century proved decisive.

While some of their big names, including Healy and Beth Mooney, have yet to hit full stride, Australia’s depth has made them nearly invincible. The pace of Annabel Sutherland and the guile of Sophie Molineux have been particularly effective on subcontinental surfaces, while the side’s balance allows them to dominate in all phases of the game.

Their only setback came off the field when their previous match against Sri Lanka was washed out, denying them the chance to go top of the standings. Yet, if anything, the break has left them fresher and more focused.

All-rounder Ellyse Perry, speaking to reporters on the eve of the match, acknowledged both the challenge and respect her side have for their opponents. “Oh, yeah, [Fatima Sana] is an amazing player,” Perry said. “A real talisman, I think, for the Pakistan team. She plays with so much passion and energy — she’s incredibly talented, too. It’s always nice when we get a chance to play against her.”

On the conditions, Perry added: “We obviously got to have a bit of a look at the conditions the other night with the India-Pakistan match. Probably hasn’t changed too much to how we were thinking the other day when we were hoping to play. But we’ve had a chance to prepare pretty well.”