India made a winning start to their ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 campaign with a convincing 64-run victory over arch-rivals Pakistan at Edgbaston on Sunday. The win was set up by a brilliant batting display from Smriti Mandhana and a match-winning spell from Deepti Sharma.
After Pakistan captain Fatima Sana won the toss and opted to field, India posted a competitive total of 170/6 in their allotted 20 overs. Mandhana led the charge with a fluent 68 off just 44 balls, striking boundaries regularly and keeping the scoreboard moving. Her innings provided the perfect platform for India, while contributions from the middle order ensured the team finished strongly.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can help support our journalism by adding OHeraldo as a preferred source.
Defending 171, India’s bowlers dominated from the outset. Deepti Sharma was the standout performer, claiming five wickets and dismantling Pakistan’s batting line-up. Pakistan struggled to build partnerships and lost wickets at regular intervals while chasing the target.
The result continued India’s dominance over Pakistan in women’s T20 internationals. India now enjoy a commanding 14-3 head-to-head record against their neighbours in the format. The victory also extended India’s winning run against Pakistan in ICC events.
India entered the tournament with confidence after ending their long wait for an ICC trophy by winning the Women’s ODI World Cup at home last year. The team will now look to build on that success and add another major title to its cabinet.
With key players such as Mandhana and Deepti delivering under pressure, India sent a strong message to the rest of the competition. Their all-round performance highlighted why they remain among the favourites to lift the trophy.
