India started their Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 campaign in dominant fashion. They beat Pakistan by 64 runs at Edgbaston, Birmingham on June 14, 2026. Smriti Mandhana scored a brilliant 68 and Deepti Sharma took 5 for 10 with the ball. Pakistan never looked like winning this match from the moment India finished their innings. Check out the full match report on how India Beat Pakistan.
India Post 170 on the Board
India chose to bat first at Edgbaston. The decision paid off immediately. Smriti Mandhana was in superb touch from the very first over. She reached her fifty in just 34 balls and looked in complete control throughout her innings. Her 44-ball 68 set the platform for everything that followed.
Richa Ghosh came in towards the end and hit some big blows to push India past 170. The final total of 170 for 6 gave India’s bowlers plenty to work with on a surface that was always going to assist spin.
Mandhana Was Simply Unstoppable
Smriti Mandhana was the difference between the two sides with the bat. She played with timing and confidence that Pakistan had no answer to. Pakistan had a clear opportunity to dismiss her in the 13th over when Saira Jabeen dropped her at deep. That miss cost Pakistan dearly.
Mandhana went on to score 68 before finally being dismissed. Fatima Sana took 2 for 33 and Sadia Iqbal claimed 2 for 41. Both bowled well in patches. But Mandhana was simply too good on the day for any of Pakistan’s bowlers to control for long.
Deepti Sharma Destroys Pakistan’s Batting
Pakistan needed a good start in the chase. They got one. Muneeba Ali played well at the top and made 41. Pakistan were in a reasonable position early in their innings and looked like they might make India work hard for the win.
Then Deepti Sharma arrived. What followed was one of the most complete bowling spells seen in women’s T20 cricket this year. Deepti finished with career-best figures of 5 for 10 and completely dismantled Pakistan’s middle and lower order. Nine of Pakistan’s ten wickets fell to Indian spinners. Deepti took five, Shree Charani took three, and Shafali Verma chipped in with one. The tenth wicket was a run out.
Which Factors Makes Easier for India Beat Pakistan
India’s dominance in this match came down to three things. Their batting depth gave them a total that was always going to be difficult to chase. Their spin attack was perfectly suited to the Edgbaston surface. And their overall team structure was simply stronger than anything Pakistan could match on the day.
Pakistan rely heavily on Fatima Sana with both bat and ball. Skipper, Fatima Sana got injured but showed great fight in this game against Arch-rival India. She took two wickets with the ball but could not turn the match in Pakistan’s favour on her own. Without a strong collective batting effort, 170 was always going to be beyond this Pakistan side. They were bowled out for 106 in 17 overs and never came close to threatening India’s total.
India Continue to Dominate Pakistan in T20Is
This win was India’s 14th victory over Pakistan in 17 women’s T20I matches. It also extended India’s unbeaten streak against Pakistan to four consecutive games. The last time Pakistan beat India in women’s T20 cricket was at the Women’s Asia Cup back in 2022.
India have now won this fixture at every T20 World Cup they have played in recent years. The gap between these two sides in the shortest format remains significant and Sunday’s result did nothing to close it.
Conclusion
India were simply in a different class to Pakistan at Edgbaston. Mandhana provided the batting foundation and Deepti Sharma provided the finishing blow with a spell that Pakistan had no answer to. India move on to face the Netherlands in their next group game at Headingley with full confidence and momentum. Pakistan need to regroup quickly. This defeat was heavy and it leaves their campaign in a difficult position from the very start. Check out Australia avoid white-wash against Bangladesh with brilliant knock of Cooper Connolly.
