The Indian cricket team began its Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 campaign on a high with a 64-run win over arch-rivals Pakistan in a charged Group 1 fixture at Edgbaston, Birmingham, on Sunday.
This was India’s 14th win over Pakistan in 17 T20 matches, extending their unbeaten streak against their arch-rivals to four games. The Pakistan women’s cricket team’s last victory over India came in the Women’s Asia Cup 2022.
After electing to bat first, the Indian women’s cricket team rode on a 44-ball 68 by Smriti Mandhana and a late surge by Richa Ghosh to post 170/6 on the board at the end of the allotted 20 overs.
Pakistan rode their fortunes to make a good start but were reeled back by the Indian spinners with Deepti Sharma finishing with 5/10, the best bowling figures for India women in T20 international cricket.
Sunday’s haul also saw Deepti Sharma become the top wicket-taker in Women’s T20I cricket with 166 scalps in 145 matches. Thailand’s Thipatcha Putthawong held the record previously with 165 from 105 games.
Batting first, India were rocked in the very first over as Sadia Iqbal cramped Shafali Varma for room, forcing the opener to edge one behind for just six.
Tasmia Rubab followed up by dismissing Jemimah Rodrigues in the fourth over to reduce India to 18/2.
With their side in trouble, Indian T20 captain Harmanpreet Kaur and her vice-captain Smriti Mandhana – the two most experienced campaigners in the Indian squad – joined forces and steadied the ship.
After a bit of watchful rebuilding, the two accelerated with Mandhana taking point. The Indian talisman reached her 34th T20 fifty in just 34 balls.
Pakistan lost a golden opportunity to send Mandhana back as Saira Jabeen dropped the Indian at the deep in the 13th over – the same one which brought up 100 on the board for world No. 3 India.
The momentum, however, was disturbed with Pakistan claiming two quick wickets in quick succession.
Mandhana was caught in the deep by Fatima Sana off Rameen Shamim. Three balls later, Sadia Iqbal had Bharti Fulmali stumped as India suddenly slumped to 110/4.
India’s woes were compounded when Pakistan skipper Fatima Sana sent back her opposite number, Harmanpreet, for 36 off 35 in the 17th over and Nashra Sandhu conceded just three in the next over to stifle India.
Harmanpreet Kaur, during her innings, surpassed Mithali Raj to become India’s highest run-scorer in Women’s T20 World Cup history.
However, Richa Ghosh had other ideas as she provided the late fireworks, scoring 34 off just 17 towards the end to push India past 150. Her knock featured five fours and one six, with five of the six boundaries coming on the trot.
India were wasteful in the field as Muneeba Ali was dropped twice inside the first four overs, which allowed Pakistan to make a solid start.
Deepti Sharma, who was guilty of dropping Muneeba the second time, finally gave India the first breakthrough, with Fulmali hanging on to Gull Feroza’s attempted slog over point.
World No. 8 Pakistan, however, ended the first six overs on 52/1 – their highest T20 powerplay score against India in the T20 format.
Deepti then dealt the Pakistanis another blow immediately after the drinks break, this time tricking Ayesha Zafar to play a lofted drive towards Mandhana at short fine leg.
Shree Charani also got in on the action, forcing a leading edge off Saira Jabeen as Pakistan suddenly found themselves reduced to 58/3.
Muneeba looked to attack her way out of the pressure but found herself short of the crease as Deepti Sharma made up for her earlier miss with a sensational direct hit.
Just four balls later, Shafali Varma picked up the all-important wicket of Fatima Sana as the Pakistani skipper departed for a duck. Natalia Pervaiz also departed soon after, leaving Pakistan looking down the barrel at 79/6.
Losing five wickets in exchange of just 26 runs punched the wind out of the Pakistani chase.
Shree Charani and Deepti then cleaned up the Pakistani tail as the latter finished with 5/10, surpassing her previous best figures of 5/19 in the format.
Interestingly, nine of the 10 Pakistani wickets fell to Indian spinners with Deepti affecting the only outlier – a run out. Shree Charani took three while Shafali picked up one.
India’s next Women’s T20 World Cup match will be against the Netherlands at the Headingley Cricket Ground in Leeds, on Wednesday.
IND-W vs PAK-W, Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 brief scores: India Women 170/6 in 20 overs (Smriti Mandhana 68; Fatima Sana 2/33; Sadia Iqbal 2/41) beat Pakistan Women 106/10 in 17 overs (Muneeba Ali 41; Deepti Sharma 5/10) by 64 runs.
READ MORE: https://www.olympics.com/en/news/women-t20-world-cup-2026-cricket-india-vs-pakistan-match-report
