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.
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
BAN
2
1
1
0
0
0
-1.79
0
0
0
2
4
NED
2
0
2
0
0
0
-2.611
0
0
0
0
5
PAK
1
0
1
0
0
0
-3.2
0
0
0
0
6
SA
1
0
1
0
0
0
-3.25
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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