India made the perfect start to their Women's T20 World Cup campaign with a 64-run rout of arch rivals Pakistan on Sunday at Edgbaston. Harmanpreet Kaur's side dominated from start to finish in their Group One opener, with Smriti Mandhana top-scoring with 68 and Deepti Sharma dismantling Pakistan's batting with figures of 5-10.
How did India beat Pakistan at the Women's T20 World Cup?
India batted first and posted a strong total, led by Mandhana's 68 from 44 balls. Pakistan's chase never gained momentum as India's spinners, led by Deepti Sharma, restricted them to 106. Sharma's five-wicket haul, combined with three wickets from leg-spinner Sree Charani, bowled Pakistan out comfortably inside their 20 overs.
How did Smriti Mandhana set up India's total?
Mandhana survived two dropped catches to blaze nine fours and two sixes in an innings that anchored India's batting effort. Kaur contributed 36, hitting four fours, while wicket-keeper Richa Ghosh added a quick-fire 34 featuring five fours and a six. Together, they kept the pressure firmly on Pakistan's bowlers throughout India's innings.
How did Deepti Sharma destroy Pakistan's batting lineup?
Deepti Sharma was central to Pakistan's collapse with a career-best 5-10. She ran out opener Muneeba Ali, Pakistan's top scorer with 41, and also dismissed Gull Feroza and Ayesha Zafar to leave Pakistan in disarray at 75-3.
Sharma then removed Nashra Sundhu and Tasmia Rubab as Pakistan slid to 79-6 before Charani completed the rout with three wickets.
What did the captains say after the match?
Kaur praised her side's key performers after the win. "Whenever we need a performance, Smriti and Deepti are always there for us," she said. She also stressed the importance of net run rate as the group stage progresses. Pakistan captain Fatima Sana was blunt in her assessment, citing dropped catches and poor batting as decisive factors. "Catches win matches. Unfortunately it was senior players dropping catches and we need to get better," Sana said.
Did the India vs Pakistan match break an attendance record?
The fixture set a new attendance record for a Women's T20 World Cup group stage match. A crowd of 18,814 at Edgbaston surpassed the previous record of 15,935, set during the teams' meeting in Dubai in 2024. The result also continued India's strong recent head-to-head record against their rivals in the tournament.
What else happened in Group One on Sunday?
In the day's other match at Edgbaston, Bangladesh survived a scare to beat the Netherlands by six wickets. The Dutch posted 139-8, with captain Babette de Leede top-scoring on 50. Bangladesh openers Juairiya Ferdous and Dilara Akter Dola put on 67 to kick-start the chase, and despite a collapse to 85-4, Bangladesh sealed victory off the first ball of the final over.
