In a marquee clash that had the cricket world buzzing, India Women set Pakistan a target of 171 after posting a competitive 170 for 6 in their ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 opener at Edgbaston.
The match lived up to its billing as a high-stakes rivalry encounter, with Smriti Mandhana leading the charge in a fluent knock that kept the scoreboard ticking.
India won the toss and elected to bat first under captain Harmanpreet Kaur. The innings got off to a shaky start with early wickets, including Shafali Verma and Jemimah Rodrigues falling cheaply. However, Mandhana, the elegant left-hander, steadied the ship and ignited the innings with her trademark timing and power. She smashed 68 off just 44 balls, including nine boundaries and two sixes, anchoring the middle order before departing in the 14th over.
Harmanpreet Kaur provided solid support with a gritty 36 off 35 balls, while the lower order — featuring Richa Ghosh (not out contributions) and Deepti Sharma — added crucial late runs to push the total past 170. Pakistan’s bowlers, led by the likes of Sadia Iqbal and Fatima Sana, picked up wickets at regular intervals but struggled to contain the flow of runs on a good batting surface.
As the innings break was called, the official BCCI Women handle summed it up perfectly: “A solid batting effort by #TeamIndia… Over to the bowlers to defend this.” The pressure is now squarely on Pakistan’s batters to chase down the total against a formidable Indian bowling attack featuring spin options like Deepti Sharma and pace threats.
This India-Pakistan contest is more than just a match — it’s a clash of cricketing giants in a global tournament, drawing massive attention from fans across borders. With both teams boasting star power and recent form, the second innings promises fireworks.
Stay tuned as Pakistan begin their chase!
