Times of Pakistan

Sharma, Mandhana help India beat Pakistan Women in T20 World Cup

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LAHORE, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 15th Jun, 2026) All-round Deepti Sharma and ever reliable smiriti Mandhana helped India Women beat Pakistan

Women by 64 runs in the opener of the ICC women's T20 World Cup 2026 at Edgbaston in

Birmingham on Sunday afternoon.

It was Mandhana's priceless knock of 64 runs which helped India post a target of 171 runs

against the young Pakistan side led by Fatima Sana but all-rounder Deepti Sharma' five-for

helped India defend the total with ease as Pakistani women batters could not face the pressure

of the big game and bundles out for 106 with 18 balls to spare.

Poor fielding contributed to the lackluster performance as Pakistan gave two lives to Mandhana

who played a brisk knock at a strike rate above 150 mark. Pakistan bowlers managed to pull back

with the departure of Mandhana and Kaur in the second half of the innings. Mandhana and Kaur

scored a match defining partnership of 91 runs for the fourth wicket.

Wicket-keeper batte4 Richa Ghosh and Sharma plundered 38 runs of the last two overs which

helped India manage a daunting total.

Richa Ghosh provided the late momentum with 34 off 17 balls to lift India to 170 for six before

being castled by Fatima as she became the first Pakistan pacer to snap half-century of scalps

in women’s T20Is. Sadia Iqbal and Fatima took two for 41 and two for 33, respectively.

The Fatima Sana-led team will now face South Africa at the same venue on Wednesday under

the lights with the first ball set to be bowled at 6.30pm local time.

Set 171 to win, Pakistan were bowled out for 106 in 17 overs. Opening batter Muneeba Ali

Siddiqui top-scored with 41 off 35 balls, including five fours while also adding 38 for the first

wicket with Gull Feroza, who made 12 off nine.

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After Gull fell, India picked up wickets came at regular intervals. Ayesha Zafar (12) and Saira

Jabeen (2) departed to leave their side 58 for three, while Muneeba got run-out in the 11th

over with the score on 75 for four.

Aliya Riaz contributed 18 off 17 balls hitting one four. Off-spinner Deepti Sharma was the most

successful bowler with five for 10 from her four overs, while Shree Charani took three for 21.

Earlier, after being asked to field, Pakistan reduced India to 18 for two in 3.2 overs with Sadia

Iqbal dismissing opening batter Shafali Verma (6) in the first over and T20 World Cup debutant

Tasmia Rubab accounting for Jemimah Rodrigues (1) two balls into the fourth over.

Scores in brief:

Match 6 - India beat Pakistan by 64 runs at Edgbaston, Birmingham

India 170-6, 20 overs (Smriti Mandhana 68, Harmanpreet Kaur 36, Richa Ghosh 34; Fatima Sana 2-33, Sadia Iqbal 2-41)

Pakistan 106 all out, 17 overs (Muneeba Ali Siddiqui 41, Aliya Riaz 18; Deepti Sharma 5-10, Shree Charani 3-21)

Player of the match: Deepti Sharma (India)

Pakistan's fixtures at ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026:

14 June – India beat Pakistan by 64 runs

17 June v South Africa, Edgbaston, Birmingham – 10.30pm PKT | 6.30pm local time

20 June v Bangladesh, Hampshire Bowl, Southampton – 6.30pm PKT | 2.30pm local time

23 June v Australia, Headingley, Leeds – 10.30pm PKT | 6.30pm local time

27 June v Netherlands, Bristol County Ground, Bristol – 2.30pm PKT | 10.30am local time

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