India Women made a strong statement in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026, defeating arch-rivals Pakistan Women by a convincing 64-run margin at Edgbaston on Sunday. Powered by a magnificent half-century from Smriti Mandhana and a match-winning five-wicket haul from Deepti Sharma, India delivered a dominant all-round performance to kick off their campaign in style.
After winning the toss, Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur chose to bat first on a surface that looked ideal for batting. However, Pakistan’s bowlers struck early, removing Shafali Verma and Jemimah Rodrigues within the powerplay to put India under pressure. With the score at 38/2 after six overs, India needed a steady partnership to rebuild the innings.
Smriti Mandhana rose to the occasion with a classy knock of 68 runs from just 44 deliveries. The stylish left-hander timed the ball beautifully, finding boundaries with ease and anchoring the innings when her team needed stability. Alongside captain Harmanpreet Kaur, she stitched together a crucial partnership that shifted momentum back in India’s favor.
Pakistan had opportunities to contain India but costly dropped catches allowed Mandhana to continue her innings. She made the most of those chances, accelerating in the middle overs and putting pressure on the Pakistani bowlers. Harmanpreet also contributed valuable runs before falling while attempting to increase the scoring rate.
Despite regular wickets in the latter stages, India managed to post a competitive total of 170/6 in 20 overs, thanks to useful contributions from the middle order and a late flourish that ensured Pakistan faced a challenging target.
Pakistan’s chase began positively as openers Gull Feroza and Muneeba Ali found boundaries early and moved confidently against the Indian pace attack. The opening partnership raised hopes for Pakistan supporters, but India’s experienced spin unit soon took control of the contest.
Veteran all-rounder Deepti Sharma produced a masterclass in spin bowling. Mixing her pace and lengths intelligently, she repeatedly outfoxed the Pakistani batters. Her first breakthrough came when Gull Feroza miscued an attempted attacking shot, and from there Pakistan’s innings began to unravel.
Muneeba Ali fought hard with a determined 41 off 35 balls and tried to keep Pakistan in the hunt. However, the lack of support from the other end proved costly. As wickets continued to fall, the required run rate climbed steadily, placing immense pressure on the middle order.
Young spinner Shree Charani complemented Deepti brilliantly, picking up three important wickets and ensuring Pakistan never regained momentum. India’s fielding was equally impressive, highlighted by a sharp run-out involving Deepti Sharma that removed the dangerous Muneeba Ali at a crucial stage.
Pakistan’s batting lineup collapsed under sustained pressure from the Indian bowlers. Deepti Sharma completed a memorable five-wicket haul, wrapping up the innings as Pakistan were bowled out for 106 runs. Her spell proved to be the defining performance of the match and underlined her importance to India’s World Cup ambitions.
The victory further strengthened India’s dominance over Pakistan in Women’s T20 Internationals. India now holds a commanding advantage in head-to-head encounters and once again showcased their ability to deliver on the biggest stages against their traditional rivals.
With a balanced performance featuring quality batting, disciplined bowling, and sharp fielding, India has sent a strong message to the rest of the tournament contenders. The defending champions will look to build on this momentum as they continue their quest for another ICC title.
Match Summary:
🏏 India Women: 170/6 (20 overs)
⭐ Smriti Mandhana – 68 (44)
🏏 Pakistan Women: 106 all out
⭐ Muneeba Ali – 41 (35)
🎯 Deepti Sharma – 5 wickets
🎯 Shree Charani – 3 wickets
🏆 India Women won by 64 runs
