India opened their ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 campaign at Edgbaston with the kind of performance that makes opposing teams quietly reassess their own chances — a 64-run demolition of Pakistan that was, frankly, more comfortable than even that margin suggests.
The Innings: Built on Mandhana’s Brilliance
India lost an early wicket, and for a moment the familiar nerves crept in. Then Smriti Mandhana decided she’d seen enough of caution.
She batted the way only she can — wrists loose, feet moving, finding gaps that don’t look like gaps until the ball is already through them. Her 68 wasn’t just runs on a scorecard; it was a complete dismantling of Pakistan’s plans. Every time they tried to set a field, she found a new angle. Every time they thought they had her, she stepped away and hit it somewhere else entirely.
Harmanpreet Kaur steadied the middle overs with a composed 36, and then Richa Ghosh — arguably the most naturally destructive finisher in the squad — arrived in the death overs and did exactly what she does: hit hard, hit clean, and hit often. Her 34 off very few deliveries pushed India to 170/6, a total that always felt about 20 runs more than Pakistan could realistically chase on this surface.
The Chase: Deepti Dismantles Everything
Pakistan started the chase with genuine intent. Muneeba Ali looked sharp in the powerplay, playing some confident strokes and keeping the required rate honest. For a few overs, there was a real contest.
Then Deepti Sharma came on to bowl.
What followed wasn’t just good bowling — it was systematic destruction. She finished with five wickets, but the numbers barely capture how complete her dominance was. She varied her pace, changed her angles, and made the Pakistan middle order look like they were playing an entirely different game to the one she was playing. Partnerships never developed. Run rates never stabilised. The innings simply… collapsed.
Pakistan were bowled out for 106. India had won by 64 runs, and it wasn’t close
Match Summary
India Women — 170/6 (20 Overs)
Smriti Mandhana – 68 | Harmanpreet Kaur – 36 | Richa Ghosh – 34
Pakistan Women — 106 All Out
Muneeba Ali – 41
Best Bowling: Deepti Sharma — 5 wickets
What It Means
Beyond the two points, this result carries weight in the Net Run Rate column — something that has a nasty habit of mattering enormously in knockout qualification. A 64-run margin is good. A convincing 64-run margin, where you bowled them out rather than letting them crawl to 106, is better.
More than the numbers, though, it’s the feel of the performance. India looked balanced, sharp, and composed — not a team that scraped through, but one that executed a plan from the first ball to the last.
Final Word
India couldn’t have scripted a better opening to their 2026 World Cup. Mandhana gave the innings its spine, Richa gave it its kick, and Deepti gave it its ending. Three very different players, one very complete victory.
The tournament is young, but India have already made clear: they are here to win it.
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