India Vs Pakistan Highlights, Women's T20 World Cup: Deepti Sharma’s 5-Wicket Haul Drives Women In Blue To Victory

India Women Squad: Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur(c), Bharti Fulmali, Richa Ghosh(w), Deepti Sharma, Shreyanka Patil, Kranti Gaud, Renuka Singh Thakur, Shree Charani, Radha Yadav, Arundhati Reddy, Yastika Bhatia, Nandani Sharma

Pakistan Women Squad: Gull Feroza, Muneeba Ali(w), Saira Jabeen, Ayesha Zafar, Iram Javed, Fatima Sana(c), Aliya Riaz, Natalia Pervaiz, Eyman Fatima, Diana Baig, Nashra Sandhu, Rameen Shamim, Sadia Iqbal, Tuba Hassan, Tasmia Rubab

India and Pakistan teams have faced each other 16 times in T20Is, with India holding a clear upper hand in this contest. India have won 13 of those encounters, while Pakistan have claimed three wins.

“We prepare differently for every game. We’ve been putting ourselves in uncomfortable situations, whether in training or on the field. We have a lot of sessions where we play out different scenarios. Everyone says you have to thrive under pressure, but how do you do that? You do it by repeatedly putting yourself under pressure in practice and making those situations as challenging as possible, so that when you go into a match, you feel prepared.

India Women have won the toss and have opted to bat.

PS - There were no handshakes between the two captains at the toss.

Pakistan Women: Gull Feroza, Muneeba Ali(w), Ayesha Zafar, Saira Jabeen, Aliya Riaz, Natalia Pervaiz, Fatima Sana(c), Rameen Shamim, Nashra Sandhu, Tasmia Rubab, Sadia Iqbal

India Women: Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur(c), Bharti Fulmali, Richa Ghosh(w), Deepti Sharma, Arundhati Reddy, Shreyanka Patil, Shree Charani, Kranti Gaud

National Anthems time and its first for Pakistan followed by India's 'Jana Gana Mana....'

In the meantime, here's something for the stat followers - This is the first toss win for India Women after 8 successive losses in T20Is, and this is also their first toss win after 12 consecutive toss losses on English soil in T20Is since 2022.

Wow! What a start to the IND-W vs PAK-W contest in Birmingham. Shafali Verma hammers Sadia Iqbal for a first-ball six but the PAK bowler dismisses soon after.

Smriti Mandhana will be key for IND-W as her form could provide the impetus for the Women in Blue if they are to get going in this vital clash. Smriti hammers Sadia Iqbal for a couple of fours as PAK-W feel the heat.

IND-W: 18/1 (3 Overs)

Jemimah Rodrigues managed to mishit and it ended up in the hands of Natalia Pervaiz who celebrates wildly as the whole of PAK-W contingent go berserk. Some start for the women in green, given they were asked to bowl.

IND-W: 20/2 (4 Overs)

Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur are India's most experienced batters and they are at the crease. IND-W will want they remain for long as possible and take them towards a respectable total.

IND-W: 38/2 (6 Overs)

Smriti Mandhana goes for the big one but ends up miscuing it and it falls in the territory of Aliya Riaz but the PAK-W fielder cannot hold on to it and ends up dropping the catch.

IND-W: 46/2 (8 Overs)

IND-W need to bring some big overs if they are to get towards a big score. Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur need to start firing with more pinch-hitters coming down the order.

IND-W: 65/2 (10 Overs)

Smriti Mandhana gets to yet another WC half-century as she ties up with Mithali Raj, Harmanpreet Kaur and Punam Raut with most fifties for IND-W at the WCs.

IND-W: 85/2 (12 Overs)

Smriti Mandhana is finally out on 68 after a great running catch from captain Fatima Sana. PAK-W needed that breakthrough after it seemed the match was getting out of their hands. Bharti Fulmali has come to the crease.

IND-W: 114/3 (14 Overs)

Bharti Fulmali was the fourth wicket to fall with now the pressure back on IND-W batters. Harmanpreet Kaur and Richa Ghosh key for India to take towards the big total and PAK bowlers need to be at their best if they are to curb them under-par total.

IND-W: 122/4 (16 Overs)

Harmanpreet Kaur's dismissal has put the pressure back on the Indian batters with the onus now on Richa Ghosh and Deepti Sharma.

IND-W: 132/5 (18 Overs)

Superb end to the Indian innings, mostly thankful to the late blitzkrieg from Richa Ghosh. Her 17-ball 34 saw IND-W have a competitive total on board after it seemed that PAK-W would restrict them under 150.

Deepti Sharma picked up her second wicket after removing Ayesha Zafar, with Smriti Mandhana holding on to a sharp catch. It was a flighted delivery drifting outside leg stump, and Zafar went low for the sweep but couldn’t find the gap, sending a well-timed shot straight into Mandhana’s hands.

Deepti Sharma was involved yet again, this time producing a brilliant direct hit to dismiss set batter Muneeba Ali for 41. The Pakistan batter looked to steal a quick single but was caught short by Deepti’s sharp fielding effort, ending a valuable knock that included five boundaries.

Shree Charani continued Pakistan’s collapse by removing Natalia Pervaiz for 7, with Harmanpreet Kaur taking a superb overhead catch at extra cover. Pervaiz tried to go inside-out after stepping down the track but failed to get enough elevation, handing India another breakthrough.

Shafali Verma created another moment of pressure as India reviewed an LBW appeal against Aliya Riaz, but the decision stayed with the on-field umpire after the TV umpire couldn’t determine whether the bat or pad made contact first.

India lost a review, but they had another chance moments earlier when Riaz set off for a risky single, only for Richa Ghosh to miss the run-out attempt with an underarm throw.

Deepti Sharma struck again, combining with Jemimah Rodrigues for another Pakistan wicket. The spinner bowled a slower full delivery in the slot, tempting Tasmia Rubab into a slog sweep, but the shot lacked placement as Jemimah moved quickly to her left at deep midwicket to complete a comfortable catch. Rubab departed without scoring.

India began their Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 campaign with a convincing 64-run win over Pakistan. After posting 170/6, India overcame early fielding lapses and a strong powerplay start from Pakistan to take control. Deepti Sharma led the bowling effort as India’s spinners tightened the grip, restricting Pakistan to 106 in 17 overs.