Women’s T20 World Cup 2026: 5 Key Takeaways from India’s 64-Run Win over Pakistan at Edgbaston

Team India began their Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 with a 64-run win over Pakistan. Smriti Mandhana’s 68 and Richa Ghosh’s cameo lifted India to 170/6. Deepti Sharma starred with a five-wicket haul as Pakistan were bowled out for 106.

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Team India Kickstarts Quest for Maiden Women's T20 World Cup Title in Style

Team India kicked off their Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 campaign with a dominant 64-run win over Pakistan in the Group A clash at Edgbaston in Birmingham on Sunday, June 14.

After posting a total of 170/6, India bundled out Pakistan for 106 in 17 overs, powered by a historic five-wicket haul from Deepti Sharma, who finished with match-winning figures of 5/10. This was India’s seventh win over Pakistan in the history of the Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 and the 14th win overall in the Women’s T20Is.

On that note, let’s take a look at key takeaways from India’s win over Pakistan at Edgbaston.

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1. Shafali Verma’s Shot Selection Under Scrutiny

Shafali Verma’s shot selection came under scrutiny after her six-run dismissal against Pakistan. The opener started with a six on the very first ball, making her the first player to achieve this feat in a Women's T20 World Cup match. However, her stay at the crease lasted only for five balls before she was dismissed by Sadia Iqbal.

The 22-year-old’s attempt to go for a big shot instead got edged and resulted in her dismissal. Fans on social media, especially on X (formerly Twitter), criticized her shot selection, calling it ‘reckless’ and arguing that such an approach in a high-stakes tournament opener put unnecessary pressure on the rest of the batting order.

With a six-run dismissal, Shafali extended her poor record against Pakistan in Women’s T20Is, aggregating 127 runs at an average of 25.4 and a strike rate of 123.3 in five matches.

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2. Smriti Mandhana Stays Cool Under Pressure

Team India vice-captain Smriti Mandhana displayed her composure and class throughout her 44-ball 68. Despite the Women in Blue slumping to 18/2, Mandhana was unfazed by pressure, rather taking the responsibility of rebuilding the innings with a display of calculated aggression and impeccable timing.

In the first 24 balls, Mandhana scored 28 runs at a strike rate of 116.67, before accelerating her innings, scoring 40 off 20 balls at a strike rate of 200.00. Her shift of gear after the midpoint of the innings proved to be the turning point of the match.

Moreover, Mandhana’s crucial 91-run partnership with skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, who scored 36 off 35 balls, helped Team India recover from the early collapse and lay a solid foundation for a respectable total on the board.

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3. Richa Ghosh’s Lower-Order Firepower

Richa Ghosh once again proved why she is the most reliable middle-order batter for Team India, as she stepped up and played a quickfire cameo knock of 34 off 17 balls, including 5 fours and a six, at an impressive strike rate of 200.00

Ghosh walked out to bat when India were 110/4, and the scoring rate was 7.74 per over. Her aggressive approach immediately shifted the pressure back onto the Pakistani bowlers, as she wasted no time in finding the boundaries to boost the team's run rate.

Richa Ghosh’s quickfire knock revived India’s batting from 110/4 in 14.2 overs to 168/5 in 19.4 overs, adding 58 runs in just 32 balls. This late-innings surge, which came at a blistering rate of 10.87 runs per over, effectively dismantled Pakistan's death-bowling plans and pushed India to a formidable final total.

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4. Deepti Sharma’s Bowling Brilliance

Though Smriti Mandhana scored fifty and Richa Ghosh contributed with a quickfire cameo, Deepthi Sharma’s spell was the true catalyst in suffocating Pakistan’s 171-run chase, as her clinical off-spin left the opposition with no room to breathe.

Deepti picked up two early wickets of Gull Feroza (12) and Ayesha Zafar (12) and reduced the Women in Green to 53/2 in 6.3 overs. Thereafter, the spin bowling all-rounder wrapped up Pakistan’s batting by picking up three wickets of Aliya Riaz (18), Nashra Sandhu (4), and Tasmia Rubab (0) in a single over.

With a five-wicket haul, Deepti Sharma etched her name in the history books, becoming the third Indian woman to take a five-wicket haul in a T20 World Cup match.

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5. Dominance of the Spin-Web

Deepti Sharma might’ve stolen the spotlight with her spin bowling brilliance, but the collective stranglehold of India’s entire spin unit was what truly crippled Pakistan’s lineup. Shreyanka Patil and part-time spinner Shafali Verma chipped in with disciplined spells, but it was the rising star Shree Charani who provided the perfect foil for Deepthi.

Charani picked three crucial wickets of Saira Jabeen, Natalia Pervaiz, and Rameen Shamim, while Shafali dismissed Pakistan skipper Fatima Sana. Although Shreyanka went wicketless, her restrictive spell was instrumental in drying up the runs, allowing the others to attack.

Although the pitch offered some assistance, the precision with which India's spin quartet operated was the defining narrative of the second innings. While Kranti Gaud and Arundhati Reddy struggled to take a wicket, the spinners stepped up and delivered when they were needed the most.