Birmingham: The Indian women’s cricket team launched their ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 campaign in spectacular fashion, securing a comprehensive 64-run victory over arch-rivals Pakistan. Played at Birmingham, the highly anticipated encounter turned into a completely one-sided affair as India extended their dominant streak against their neighbors in World Cup history.
Opting to bat first, India posted a formidable total of 170 runs on the board, heavily relying on a brilliant batting display by vice-captain Smriti Mandhana. Mandhana anchored the innings with a fluent 68 runs, pacing her knock perfectly to ensure India maintained a healthy run rate throughout. Her aggressive yet calculated approach dismantled the Pakistani bowling attack, setting up a solid foundation for a massive score.
In reply, Pakistan started their run chase on a positive note, showing early intent. However, their hopes were quickly dashed when the Indian bowling attack led by Deepti Sharma triggered a massive batting collapse. Sharma single-handedly dismantled the Pakistani middle and lower order, running through the opposition lineup to register a spectacular five-wicket haul.
Confronted by Sharma’s lethal spin, the Pakistani batting unit completely fell apart, shrinking from a comfortable position to being bundled out for a mere 104 runs. The spectacular collapse ensured a sigh of relief for the Indian camp, sealing a flawless 64-run victory to secure crucial points early in the tournament.
This commanding victory not only gives India a perfect start to their World Cup journey but also significantly boosts their net run rate in the group stage. Fans across both nations tuned in for the high-voltage clash, which ultimately highlighted the massive gulf in skill and execution between the two sides on the big stage.