Cardiff: India began their preparations for the upcoming ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 on a confident note by defeating the West Indies by 26 runs in their opening warm up fixture. The match took place at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff on Monday. An unbeaten half century from Bharti Fulmali and a stellar bowling performance by spinners Shreyanka Patil and Radha Yadav secured the victory for the Women in Blue.
With regular captain Harmanpreet Kaur and key player Deepti Sharma rested, Smriti Mandhana took charge of the team. West Indies won the toss and elected to bowl first in overcast conditions. The opening duo of Mandhana and Shafali Verma provided India with a blazing start. They put together a rapid 59 run partnership in the powerplay. Mandhana played an elegant knock of 39 runs from 23 deliveries, while Shafali hammered a quickfire 29 from just 13 balls.
However, India experienced a mini collapse after the powerplay, losing three quick wickets and slipping to 85 for 3. Yastika Bhatia and Bharti Fulmali then stabilized the innings with a crucial 60 run stand for the fourth wicket. Bhatia played a composed knock of 36 runs before tactically retiring out to allow other batters some game time in the middle. Fulmali seized the opportunity and top scored for India, remaining unbeaten on 56 off 40 balls, hitting six boundaries and a six. Her anchoring innings guided India to a commanding total of 179 for 8 in their allotted 20 overs. For the West Indies, veteran leg spinner Afy Fletcher was the standout bowler, claiming 4 wickets for 23 runs.
Chasing a target of 180 runs, the West Indies started steadily. Openers Deandra Dottin and Shemaine Campbelle built a solid 63 run foundation before Campbelle retired out on 25. Dottin looked dangerous as she held the innings together with a robust knock of 49 from 44 balls. However, her dismissal just one run shy of a half century triggered a massive batting collapse.
The introduction of Indian spinners completely turned the tide of the match. Shreyanka Patil delivered a match winning spell, taking 4 wickets for 36 runs. She broke the game open by removing Qiana Joseph and Jahzara Claxton in quick succession. Radha Yadav provided exceptional support from the other end, claiming 3 wickets for 25 runs and executing the crucial dismissal of Dottin. The Caribbean lower order crumbled under the pressure, and the team was eventually restricted to 153 for 8.