India Women crushed Pakistan Women by 64 runs in the sixth match of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 at Edgbaston. After being decided to bat first, India Women lost two early wickets within the first four overs. Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur then rescued the innings by adding a quickfire 91-run partnership for the third wicket. Mandhana scored a brilliant 68 off 44 balls.

When Harmanpreet Kaur was dismissed in the 17th over, India Women were 123/5. Richa Ghosh then played a fiery knock of 34 off 17 balls, helping India Women finish on 170/6 in their 20 overs. Fatima Sana (2/33 in 4 overs) was the most successful bowler for Pakistan Women, while Sadia Iqbal also picked up two wickets.

In reply, Muneeba Ali and Gull Feroza gave Pakistan Women a flying start. The opening pair added 38 runs for the first wicket in 4.5 overs. Pakistan Women looked comfortable in the chase until the 10th over. However, the game changed dramatically when Muneeba Ali was run out in the 11th over. Deepti Sharma (5/10 in 4 overs) and Shree Charani (3/21 in 4 overs) then took control and dismantled Pakistan Women's batting line-up.

Pakistan Women were eventually bowled out for 106 in 17 overs, losing the match by a huge margin of 64 runs. Muneeba Ali remained the top scorer for Pakistan Women. With this victory, India Women started their campaign in style.

Mandhana Rescues India After Early Setbacks

India's innings got off to a shaky start after they lost two wickets cheaply. Shafali Verma began aggressively and smashed a six off the first ball she faced. However, her attacking approach backfired when she was caught behind just four deliveries later off spinner Sadia Iqbal.

India suffered another blow in the fourth over when Jemimah Rodrigues played an uncharacteristic shot and was caught at cover. The wicket gave debutant left-arm seamer Tasmia Rubab her first World Cup wicket. At 18 for 2, India found themselves under pressure and needed a partnership to stabilize the innings.

Mandhana Makes Pakistan Pay

Mandhana responded with confidence and started rebuilding the innings. She eased the pressure by finding boundaries against spinner Rameem Shamim and gradually took control of the scoring.

Luck also favoured the Indian opener. When she was on 27, Aliya Riyaz dropped a difficult running catch at mid-off, giving Mandhana a valuable lifeline. India still struggled for momentum at 44 for 2 in the eighth over. However, Mandhana and captain Harmanpreet Kaur slowly shifted the momentum.

Pakistan captain Fatima Sana kept things tight during the middle overs, while Harmanpreet initially struggled to find her rhythm. But the introduction of Nashra Sandhu allowed India to accelerate. Harmanpreet struck two boundaries off the spinner, and India collected 24 runs between overs seven and ten.

Mandhana looked particularly impressive while stepping down the track and driving through the off side. One elegant boundary helped her reach a half-century from just 34 balls.

Pakistan missed another opportunity to dismiss her when Saira Jabeen dropped a catch at deep midwicket. Mandhana continued to capitalize on the mistakes and punished the bowlers.

India Finish Strong Through Richa Ghosh

Mandhana eventually departed for an excellent 68, giving Pakistan some hope. Soon after, Bharti Fulmali was stumped, while Harmanpreet also fell, leaving India briefly under pressure again. The innings slowed down as India went through 21 deliveries without hitting a boundary.

However, wicketkeeper-batter Richa Ghosh completely changed the momentum in the final overs. Showing tremendous power and confidence, Ghosh attacked Tasmia Rubab in a crucial over, smashing a sequence of 4, 6, 4, and 4 as India collected 23 runs.

She continued her assault in the final over with a mix of powerful strokes and clever placement. Her unbeaten 34 off just 17 balls helped India score 60 runs in the final six overs and finish on 170. The total became India's highest score against Pakistan in Women's T20 World Cup history and provided a significant boost to their net run rate in a highly competitive group.

Pakistan Start Brightly

Pakistan began their chase with intent and quickly put India's bowlers under pressure. Muneeba Ali played aggressively and benefited from several missed chances. She survived an early opportunity when Richa Ghosh failed to complete a catch behind the stumps off Shreyanka Patil.

Soon after, Arundhati Reddy dropped another straightforward chance at point. Muneeba made India pay for those mistakes. She used innovative shots, including scoops and cuts, to keep the scoreboard moving. Alongside her opening partner, she helped Pakistan race to 37 without loss in just four overs.

Deepti Changes the Match

Just when Pakistan looked comfortable, Deepti Sharma turned the game in India's favour. After bowling three dot balls in her opening over, Deepti dismissed Gul Feroza, who attempted an attacking reverse sweep and was caught at point.

Two overs later, she struck again when Ayesha Zafar swept straight to Smriti Mandhana at short fine leg. Pakistan's innings then began to unravel. The turning point came when Deepti produced a brilliant direct hit from short third to run out the dangerous Muneeba Ali for 41. The dismissal broke Pakistan's momentum and triggered a collapse.

Indian Spinners Dominate Middle Overs

Following Muneeba's departure, India's spin attack completely took control. Pakistan lost five wickets for just 26 runs during the middle phase as the Indian bowlers tightened the pressure.

World Cup debutant Shree Charani impressed with a disciplined spell and claimed three wickets for 21 runs. Her performance provided excellent support to Deepti. The Pakistani middle order struggled against the spin duo and failed to build any meaningful partnerships.

Deepti Creates History

Deepti finished the match in style. In her final over, she claimed three more wickets to complete a remarkable five-wicket haul and wrap up Pakistan's innings in the 17th over. She finished with outstanding figures of 5 for 10 and became the highest wicket-taker in women's T20 international cricket.

Pakistan were eventually bowled out for just 106 after losing wickets regularly once their opening stand was broken. India secured a massive victory and strengthened their position in the tournament standings. For her all-round impact with the ball, the crucial run-out, and her role in India's dominant win, Deepti Sharma deservedly received the Player of the Match award.

Brief Scorecard