Birmingham: India launched their ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 campaign in emphatic fashion, crushing arch-rivals Pakistan by 64 runs at Edgbaston on Sunday. A stunning all-round display, highlighted by Deepti Sharma's career-best figures of 5/10, Smriti Mandhana's fluent half-century, and Richa Ghosh's explosive late cameo, helped India secure two valuable points and a significant boost to their net run rate in Group 1.

The much-anticipated clash lived up to its billing as India overcame an early batting wobble before unleashing a ruthless spin attack that dismantled Pakistan's chase. Pakistan, who at one stage appeared well-placed at 75/3, collapsed dramatically to 106 all out in just 17 overs as India's bowlers tightened the screws.

Mandhana Anchors India's Recovery

After being asked to bat first, India suffered an early setback when they slipped to 18/2. However, vice-captain Smriti Mandhana steadied the innings with a composed yet aggressive knock of 68 runs off 44 deliveries. Her innings featured elegant strokeplay and came at a crucial stage when India needed stability.

Mandhana's innings was aided by some fortune, as Pakistan's fielders failed to capitalize on multiple opportunities, dropping the left-hander more than once. Those missed chances proved costly as she went on to build the foundation of a competitive total.

India captain Harmanpreet Kaur added valuable support with a measured 36, helping consolidate the innings through the middle overs. During her stay at the crease, Harmanpreet also achieved a significant personal milestone, becoming India's highest run-scorer in Women's T20 World Cup history and surpassing the record previously held by Mithali Raj.

Richa Ghosh's Late Fireworks Lift India to 170/6

While Mandhana laid the platform, wicketkeeper-batter Richa Ghosh provided the finishing flourish. Coming in during the latter stages of the innings, Ghosh unleashed a powerful assault, smashing 34 runs from just 17 balls. Her aggressive strokeplay helped India collect 38 runs from the final two overs, transforming a good total into a daunting one.

The late surge pushed India to 170/6 in their allotted 20 overs, a total that eventually proved far beyond Pakistan's reach. For Pakistan, captain Fatima Sana and spinner Sadia Iqbal claimed two wickets each, finishing with figures of 2/33 and 2/41 respectively.

Pakistan Start Strong but Fail to Capitalize

Chasing 171, Pakistan began positively and produced their best-ever powerplay performance against India in Women's T20 World Cup history. They raced to 52/1 in the first six overs, showing attacking intent from the outset.

Muneeba Ali was at the forefront of the charge. Despite being dropped twice within the opening four overs, she punished India's mistakes and struck four boundaries during a confident innings. Gull Feroza also contributed with two boundaries as Pakistan appeared firmly in contention during the early stages.

However, the turning point arrived once India's spinners entered the attack.

Deepti Sharma Spins a Web Around Pakistan

Deepti Sharma delivered one of the finest bowling performances of her T20 international career, finishing with sensational figures of 5/10. Bowling with exceptional control, varying her pace cleverly and extracting assistance from the surface, the experienced off-spinner completely changed the course of the match.

She first broke Pakistan's momentum by dismissing Gull Feroza, who reverse-swept straight to backward point. Deepti then trapped Ayesha Zafar, who miscued a sweep shot to short fine leg.

The most crucial moment came when Muneeba Ali, batting confidently on 41, was run out by a direct hit from Deepti at backward point. The dismissal halted Pakistan's progress and triggered a collapse from which they never recovered.

Deepti continued to strike regularly, removing Aliya Riaz and cleaning up the tail to complete her maiden five-wicket haul in Women's T20 World Cup cricket. Her remarkable spell also reinforced her status as one of the premier spin bowlers in women's cricket.

N Sree Charani Provides Ideal Support

While Deepti grabbed the headlines, left-arm spinner N Sree Charani played an equally important supporting role. The young spinner finished with impressive figures of 3/21 and consistently applied pressure from the opposite end.

Charani dismissed Saira Jabeen after inducing a leading edge and later accounted for Natalia Pervaiz. Her disciplined spell ensured Pakistan could never rebuild after losing momentum in the middle overs.

Pakistan's lower order offered little resistance. Captain Fatima Sana was dismissed for a three-ball duck, while Aliya Riaz managed only 18. The remaining batters struggled against India's spin-heavy attack as wickets continued to tumble.

From a promising 75/3, Pakistan crashed to 106 all out, losing seven wickets for just 31 runs.

Captains React After the Match

Following the victory, Harmanpreet Kaur praised the contributions of Mandhana, Deepti Sharma and Richa Ghosh, highlighting the team's balanced performance with both bat and ball. India's captain expressed satisfaction with the way her side recovered after the early setbacks and then executed their bowling plans perfectly.

Deepti credited her teammates for their support and explained that the bowlers focused on varying pace and exploiting the turning conditions available at Edgbaston.

Pakistan captain Fatima Sana, meanwhile, acknowledged that poor fielding and missed opportunities proved costly. The dropped chances against Mandhana and the team's inability to maintain composure during the middle overs ultimately hurt Pakistan's chances of staying competitive in the contest.

Statement Win for India

The victory gives India a dream start to their Women's T20 World Cup campaign and sends a strong message to the rest of the tournament contenders. The combination of Mandhana's class at the top, Ghosh's power-hitting at the death, and a world-class spin performance from Deepti Sharma showcased India's depth and balance.

With a commanding 64-run win over their fiercest rivals, India not only collected two points but also gained a significant net run-rate advantage that could prove crucial as the tournament progresses. Pakistan, meanwhile, will need to regroup quickly after a disappointing collapse that squandered a promising start.

Brief Scores: India 170/6 in 20 overs (Smriti Mandhana 68, Harmanpreet Kaur 36, Richa Ghosh 34; Fatima Sana 2/33, Sadia Iqbal 2/41) beat Pakistan 106 all out in 17 overs (Muneeba Ali 41, Aliya Riaz 18; Deepti Sharma 5/10, N Sree Charani 3/21) by 64 runs.

With inputs from agencies

Image Source: Multiple agencies

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