India Women began their ICC T20 World Cup 2026 campaign with a commanding 8-wicket victory over Bangladesh Women at Old Trafford, Manchester on June 25. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur anchored the chase with an unbeaten 42 off 38 balls, guiding her team to 94/2 in 16.4 overs after Bangladesh were restricted to 93/8 in their 20 overs.
Bangladesh Innings: Early Wickets Stifle Scoring
Bangladesh Women opted to bat first but struggled against India's disciplined bowling attack. Opener Murshida Khatun top-scored with 27 off 29 balls, while Nigar Sultana added 22 off 28. However, regular wickets prevented any substantial partnership. Deepti Sharma (2/15) and Renuka Singh (2/19) were the pick of the bowlers, with Radha Yadav also chipping in with 2/20. Bangladesh managed only 93 runs, the lowest total in a T20 World Cup opener since 2018.
India's Chase: Steady and Assured
India's reply began cautiously after losing opener Shafali Verma (8) early. Smriti Mandhana (27 off 29) and Harmanpreet Kaur then added 52 runs for the second wicket to settle the chase. Mandhana fell to Rumana Ahmed, but Kaur remained composed, hitting five boundaries. Richa Ghosh (12*) finished the match with a six over mid-wicket. India reached 94/2 with 3.2 overs to spare.
Key Performances and Impact
Harmanpreet Kaur's innings was her 30th T20I fifty-plus score, moving her to third on the all-time list. Deepti Sharma's economical spell earned her the Player of the Match award. The win gives India a strong net run-rate boost in Group A, which also includes Australia, New Zealand, and Pakistan. Bangladesh, meanwhile, will look to regroup ahead of their next match against Pakistan on June 27.
