India kept their semifinal hopes alive in the ICC Women's T20 World Cup with a five-wicket win over Bangladesh at Manchester on Thursday. Shafali Verma scored a half-century, while Radha Yadav and Shree Charani impressed with the ball.
Match Summary
Bangladesh opted to bat first and posted 136/8 in 20 overs. Juairiya Ferdous (33 off 31 balls, five fours) and Sobhana Mostary (22 off 26 balls, two fours) added a half-century stand for the second wicket, and captain Nigar Sultana (32 off 27 balls, four boundaries) provided a late boost. Radha Yadav (3/28) and Shree Charani (2/21) led India's bowling attack, with Renuka Thakur and Nandni Sharma taking one wicket each.
In reply, India lost Smriti Mandhana (8) early, but Shafali (53 off 34 balls, eight fours, one six) and Yastika Bhatia (23 off 18 balls, three fours) added 45 runs for the second wicket. India slipped from 76/2 to 98/4, but Jemimah Rodrigues (26 off 15 balls, three fours, one six), captain Harmanpreet Kaur (13*), and Deepti Sharma (5*) guided the team to victory with 19 balls to spare.
Group Standings
With three wins and one loss, India is second in Group A with six points, behind Australia (four wins). South Africa, with two wins from three matches, remains a strong contender. India's final group match is against Australia.
Charani Sets Record
Shree Charani, the world number one T20I bowler, took 2/21 in four overs, dismissing Nahida Akter and Shorna Akter. She now has 12 wickets in four matches at an average of 7.08 and an economy rate of 5.31, the highest in the tournament. She surpassed Poonam Yadav's record of 10 wickets in a single ICC Women's T20 World Cup edition (2019/20). The all-time record for most wickets in a single edition is held by New Zealand's Amelia Kerr, who took 15 wickets in the 2024/25 season.
India will face Australia in their final group stage match to secure a semifinal berth.
