India stay unbeaten with commanding win over the World Cup debutants
Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma’s opening 115-run partnership has laid the foundation for India’s thumping 95-run win over the Netherlands in Leeds.
In the first T20I meeting between the teams, India’s openers put on the second biggest partnership of this tournament so far, paving the way to an imposing total of 5-209 at Headingley – their highest total at a women’s T20 World Cup.
The Netherlands produced a spirited chase in reply but were well behind the required rate, with Verma taking 3-20 as the Dutch were bowled out for 114 in the 18th over.
Mandhana’s 47-ball 74 was her second consecutive half-century, while Verma found form with her 55 from 38 deliveries.
Put into bat by Netherlands captain Babette de Leede, India’s openers reach 0-96 midway through their innings as Verma reached her fifty from 34 balls.
Her luck run out as she departed for 55 from 38 balls with Heather Siegers (1-31) making history with the Netherlands’ first-ever T20I wicket against India.
Mandhana carried on unperturbed, reaching her second half-century of the World Cup off 36 balls, before she was eventually dismissed for 74 off a floaty Caroline de Lange delivery.
India suffered a mini-collapse of 3-6, before Richa Ghosh (20no from 8) and Deepti Sharma (10no from 2) pushed the India total above 200.
Netherlands opener Heather Siegers then made a solid start scoring 21 from 16, but it was India spinner Sree Charani who dominated taking 4-19.
De Leede continued to play positively, following up her fifty in the opening game by top-scoring with 28, while Sterre Kalis made 18 from 13 before she was bowled by Verma.
The final two wickets also went to Verma as India completed a 95-run win.
It was not all good news for India, however, with Shreyanka Patil forced from the field with an apparent ankle injury.
South Africa edge narrow victory over Pakistan
Scorecard
South Africa survived a scare against Pakistan to register their first win of the tournament. Chasing a modest target of 127, the 2024 finalists were tested by a spirited Pakistan side before they edged to a two-wicket win. A fighting half-century by Annerie Dercksen guided them to 8-127 in 16.5 overs.
Fatima Sana’s brilliant all-round performance was in vain as Pakistan slipped to their second straight defeat. The skipper led an incredible recovery effort with the bat with an unbeaten 55, claimed three wickets and contributed a catch.
A fiery opening spell from Marizanne Kapp trapped left-hander Muneeba Ali leg before wicket on the very first ball of the innings, and sent her partner Gull Feroza back five balls later. Pakistan soon slipped to 8-50.
Sana and Tuba Hassan countered with a 71-run partnership, a record ninth-wicket stand in women’s T20 World Cups. Sana struck back-to-back sixes off Nadine De Klerk in the final over to bring up her fifty as Pakistan closed with 19 runs off the last.
Dercksen tilted the match in the Proteas’ favour with a brisk 55, finishing with seven fours and two sixes while De Klerk hit 37 off 28.
Having lost their first two matches, Pakistan are fifth in Group A, while South Africa have recovered to third place, setting up a blockbuster showdown with India at Old Trafford on Sunday that will likely shape the make-up of the semi-finals.
ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 standings
Round 1
Group 1
Team
Matches played
M
Wins
W
Losses
L
Ties
T
Drawn
D
No results
N/R
Net Run Rate
NRR
Deductions
Ded.
Batting Bonus
Bat
Bowling Bonus
Bowl
Total points
PTS
1
IND
2
2
0
0
0
0
3.975
0
0
0
4
2
AUS
2
2
0
0
0
0
3.875
0
0
0
4
3
SA
2
1
1
0
0
0
-1.097
0
0
0
2
4
BAN
2
1
1
0
0
0
-1.79
0
0
0
2
5
PAK
2
0
2
0
0
0
-2.263
0
0
0
0
6
NED
2
0
2
0
0
0
-2.611
0
0
0
0
Legend
M: Matches played
W: Wins
L: Losses
T: Ties
D: Drawn
N/R: No results
NRR: Net Run Rate
Ded.: Deductions
Bat: Batting Bonus
Bowl: Bowling Bonus
PTS: Total points
Group 2
Team
Matches played
M
Wins
W
Losses
L
Ties
T
Drawn
D
No results
N/R
Net Run Rate
NRR
Deductions
Ded.
Batting Bonus
Bat
Bowling Bonus
Bowl
Total points
PTS
1
ENG
2
2
0
0
0
0
2.763
0
0
0
4
2
SCO
1
1
0
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
2
3
WI
1
1
0
0
0
0
0.118
0
0
0
2
4
SL
2
1
1
0
0
0
-2.04
0
0
0
2
5
NZ
2
0
2
0
0
0
-0.2
0
0
0
0
6
IRE
2
0
2
0
0
0
-1.492
0
0
0
0
Legend
M: Matches played
W: Wins
L: Losses
T: Ties
D: Drawn
N/R: No results
NRR: Net Run Rate
Ded.: Deductions
Bat: Batting Bonus
Bowl: Bowling Bonus
PTS: Total points
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