India Women vs Pakistan Women delivered the kind of high-pressure contest fans expected, but India controlled the game for most of the evening at Edgbaston to win by 64 runs in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026. Smriti Mandhana led the batting with a fluent 68, Deepti Sharma tore through Pakistan with five wickets, and India’s all-round discipline proved decisive as Pakistan were bowled out for 106 while chasing 171.
India Women vs Pakistan Women Playing XI🏏
India named a strong XI with a familiar top order and a spin-heavy bowling attack, while Pakistan backed a balanced side built around captain Fatima Sana and wicketkeeper Muneeba Ali. The confirmed lineups showed that both teams went in with clear plans for the Edgbaston surface.
India Women Playing XI: Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Bharti Fulmali, Richa Ghosh (wk), Deepti Sharma, Arundhati Reddy, Shreyanka Patil, Shree Charani, Kranti Gaud.
Pakistan Women Playing XI: Gull Feroza, Muneeba Ali (wk), Ayesha Zafar, Saira Jabeen, Aliya Riaz, Natalia Pervaiz, Fatima Sana (c), Rameen Shamim, Nashra Sandhu, Tasmia Rubab, Sadia Iqbal.
India’s toss call also mattered. Harmanpreet Kaur won the toss and chose to bat first, giving her side the chance to put scoreboard pressure on Pakistan in a match where chasing under lights was always likely to become difficult.
India Women vs Pakistan Women: Smriti Mandhana anchors the innings
India’s innings was built around Mandhana’s composure under pressure. India lost early wickets, but Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur steadied the innings with a 91-run stand for the third wicket that changed the tone of the match. Harmanpreet made 36, while Mandhana carried the tempo and placement through the middle overs.
The late overs gave India an extra boost when Richa Ghosh exploded at the end. Her 34 off 17 deliveries helped India recover from a quiet spell and push the total to 170/6, which turned out to be enough on a pitch where wicket-taking pressure kept building throughout Pakistan’s chase.
Key batting takeaways:
- Smriti Mandhana top-scored with 68 off 44 balls.🔥
- Harmanpreet Kaur made 36.
- Richa Ghosh finished strongly with 34 off 17.
- India ended on 170/6 in 20 overs.
Deepti Sharma turns the match
Pakistan began their chase with promise, with openers Muneeba Ali and Gull Feroza scoring freely in the powerplay. But once India introduced Deepti Sharma earlier than expected, the game began to shift sharply. Deepti varied her pace superbly, removed key batters, and kept Pakistan from building any meaningful partnership.
Shree Charani supported that pressure brilliantly from the other end. Her 3/21 added to Pakistan’s problems, and the chase quickly slipped away after the 75/4 mark. Pakistan never recovered once Muneeba Ali was run out for 41 and Fatima Sana fell soon after.
Pakistan’s collapse in brief:
- Muneeba Ali was the top scorer with 41.🔥
- Deepti Sharma finished with 5/10.
- Shree Charani took 3/21.
- Pakistan were all out for 106 in 17 overs.
India did not just win on talent; they won by staying calmer under pressure, forcing Pakistan into mistakes, and making every scoring opportunity feel expensive.
India Women vs Pakistan Women: Best performers from both teams
This rivalry match had clear standouts on both sides, and the scorecard tells the story well. India’s batting was led by Smriti Mandhana, whose 68 gave the innings shape, while Deepti Sharma was the match’s most decisive bowler with five wickets for just 10 runs. Pakistan’s most reliable batter was Muneeba Ali, and Fatima Sana offered the best bowling return for her side.
India’s best performers:
- Best batter: Smriti Mandhana — 68 off 44
- Best bowler: Deepti Sharma — 5/10
- Other standout: Shree Charani — 3/21
Pakistan’s best performers:
- Best batter: Muneeba Ali — 41 off 35
- Best bowler: Fatima Sana — 2/33
- Other notable bowler: Sadia Iqbal contributed early control before the chase unraveled.
That balance is important because it shows why India looked more complete. Their top order gave them a platform, their finishers added value, and their bowling attack had multiple ways to attack the chase. Pakistan had moments, but not enough sustained support around their top scorers.
What the result means
For India, this was the ideal tournament start. A 64-run win in a marquee fixture gives them momentum, confidence, and a healthy net run rate boost in Group 1. More importantly, it showed that the side can win through different phases of the game rather than relying on one player alone.
For Pakistan, the match exposed a familiar problem: decent starts can still end badly if the middle overs are lost and wicket pressure keeps building. Their bowlers fought hard enough early to keep India from running away, but the chase never found a stable rhythm once India’s spinners took control.
India now move forward with a strong platform from their opening game, while Pakistan will need a quicker batting response in their next outing. The fixture once again showed why India Women vs Pakistan Women remains one of the most watched contests in women’s cricket: the occasion is huge, the pressure is constant, and one quality spell can decide everything.
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