India began their ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 campaign in dominant fashion with a convincing 64-run victory over Pakistan at Edgbaston on Saturday. The comprehensive win gave India a positive start to the tournament and extended their impressive record against their arch-rivals.
After being asked to bat first, India posted a competitive total of 170/6 in their allotted 20 overs. Despite losing Shafali Verma and Jemimah Rodrigues early, the batting unit recovered well through a crucial partnership in the middle overs.
Smriti Mandhana led the charge with a superb 68 off 44 deliveries. Her innings included nine boundaries and two sixes. Harmanpreet Kaur supported her brilliantly with 36 runs from 35 balls as the duo stitched together a valuable 91-run stand for the third wicket.
Richa Ghosh provided the finishing touches with a quickfire 34 off just 17 balls. Deepti Sharma remained unbeaten on 12 runs, helping India reach a challenging total against Pakistan’s bowling attack.
Pakistan made a promising start to the chase and reached 52/1 during the powerplay. However, their innings lost momentum after regular wickets disrupted their progress. The team eventually collapsed from 52/1 to 106 all out.
Deepti Sharma emerged as India’s standout performer with the ball. The all-rounder claimed five wickets and played a decisive role in turning the contest in India’s favour. She dismissed Gul Feroza and Ayesha Zafar and was also involved in the run-out of Muneeba Ali.
Muneeba Ali was Pakistan’s top scorer with 41 runs from 35 balls. Her dismissal proved to be a major turning point, as Pakistan struggled to build partnerships after losing their set batter.
Sri Charani impressed on her Women’s T20 World Cup debut with a three-wicket haul. The young spinner removed Saira Jabeen, Natalia Parvez, and Rameen Shamim to further strengthen India’s grip on the match.
Pakistan captain Fatima Sana endured a disappointing outing as she was dismissed for a duck by Shafali Verma. The batting unit failed to recover from India’s disciplined bowling effort in the latter stages of the chase.
The match also witnessed a unique milestone from Shafali Verma. She became the first player in Women’s T20 World Cup history to hit a six off the opening ball of an innings. However, her innings was brief as she departed for 6 runs off five deliveries.
India’s all-round display with both bat and ball highlighted their strong intent for the tournament. The emphatic victory not only boosted their confidence but also reinforced their dominance over Pakistan in Women’s T20 World Cup contests.
