India Women crushed Netherlands Women by 95 runs in the 10th match of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 in Leeds. After being invited to bat first, India Women posted 209/5 in their 20 overs. Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma gave India a flying start and added 115 runs for the opening wicket. After Heather Siegers dismissed Shafali in the 12th over, Mandhana added another 47 runs for the second wicket with Jemimah Rodrigues. Mandhana played a superb innings of 74 runs off 47 balls.
India lost two quick wickets in the 16th and 17th overs, but useful cameos from Richa Ghosh, Harmanpreet Kaur, and Deepti Sharma helped the team cross the 200-run mark. Caroline de Lange (2/32 in 4 overs) was the most successful bowler for the Netherlands.
In reply, Heather Siegers and Phebe Molkenboer provided a positive start for the Netherlands. However, the Dutch batters struggled against India's disciplined bowling attack. The Netherlands were 96/3 after 13.4 overs, but Shree Charani (4/19 in 4 overs) and Shafali Verma (3/20 in 3.2 overs) ripped through the middle and lower order, triggering a collapse in the space of just 23 deliveries. Babette de Leede was the highest scorer for the Netherlands.
The victory gave India their second consecutive win of the tournament and lifted them above Australia to the top of Group A on net run rate. Meanwhile, the Netherlands remained without a win in the competition.
Shafali and Mandhana lay the foundation
After being asked to bat first, India got off to an excellent start through Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana. The opening pair added 115 runs and controlled the innings from the beginning.
Although neither batter took many risks early on, they kept the scoreboard moving quickly. Their smart shot selection and consistent placement allowed India to score at nearly ten runs per over.
The Netherlands bowlers struggled with their discipline throughout the innings. They frequently bowled wides and gifted India valuable extra runs. Myrthe van den Raad endured a particularly difficult over that stretched to 12 balls and included seven runs in extras. Overall, the Dutch side conceded 16 extras.
Shafali gradually shifted gears and began attacking more aggressively. She reached her first-ever T20 World Cup fifty in just 34 balls, six years after making her debut in the tournament. However, her innings ended soon after when she mistimed a pull shot and was caught at long-on off Heather Siegers.
Mandhana anchors India's big total
Mandhana continued to dominate after Shafali's dismissal. She played fluent strokes all around the ground and remained the backbone of India's innings.
The Netherlands briefly fought back when Caroline de Lange dismissed Mandhana and van den Raad removed Jemimah Rodrigues shortly afterward. At that stage, India were 162 for 3 and the visitors looked capable of restricting the scoring. However, several costly mistakes in the field allowed India to regain complete control.
Netherlands fielding errors prove costly
The Netherlands missed several opportunities during the final stages of the innings. Shafali received a life earlier in her innings when she was dropped at cover immediately after reaching her fifty. More chances followed. Richa Ghosh survived after Phebe Molkenboer dropped a straightforward catch near the stumps. On the same delivery, the Dutch side also missed a run-out opportunity at the non-striker's end.
Silver Siegers later dropped Ghosh again, and Harmanpreet Kaur was also given a reprieve when Robine Rijke failed to hold onto a catch. India made the Netherlands pay heavily for those mistakes. Ghosh smashed an unbeaten 20 from just eight balls, while the middle order accelerated brilliantly. India collected 41 runs from the final three overs and finished with 209 for 5, their highest-ever total in Women's T20 World Cup history.
Dutch batters show intent
Chasing a huge target, the Netherlands started positively. Opener Heather Siegers played fearlessly and struck four boundaries during her 21 off 16 balls. She drove confidently through the off side and even attacked India's bowlers with aggressive footwork. However, India's bowlers gradually tightened their grip on the contest.
Phebe Molkenboer also showed glimpses of quality but struggled to find gaps consistently. She scored 15 from 20 deliveries before becoming one of several victims of India's spin attack.
India's spinners take complete control
The pitch became slower and lower during the second innings, which suited India's spinners perfectly. Shafali Verma used clever changes of pace to trouble the Dutch batters. Her slower deliveries repeatedly forced mistakes as wickets began to fall at regular intervals.
India suffered a setback when Shreyanka Patil injured her ankle while fielding in the sixth over. She twisted her right ankle attempting to stop a drive and had to leave the field on a stretcher, taking no further part in the match. Despite that setback, India's bowlers continued to dominate.
Shree Charani finishes off the chase
The Netherlands kept trying to attack despite the rapidly increasing required run rate. Captain Babette de Leede advanced down the pitch looking for boundaries but was stumped. Sterre Kalis also fell while attempting an aggressive shot against Shafali.
Left-arm spinner Shree Charani then took control. She dismissed Frederique Overdijk, trapped Robine Rijke lbw, and later removed Iris Zwilling to complete an outstanding spell of 4 for 19. The Netherlands' innings eventually collapsed dramatically. They lost their final five wickets for just one run in only nine deliveries.
Fittingly, Shafali claimed the final wicket. Isabel van der Woning attempted a big shot down the ground, but Jemimah Rodrigues ran in from long-on to complete a fine catch. The Netherlands were bowled out for 114, handing India a comprehensive 95-run victory and strengthening their position at the top of Group A.
Brief Scorecard
