BIRMINGHAM: Pakistan’s batters failed to withstand the pressure from Indian spinners as they lost seven wickets within 31 runs to suffer a 64-run loss to their bitter rivals in the Twenty20 World Cup on Sunday.
Deepti Sharma, whose five-wicket haul helped India to win the 50-over World Cup final last year, took five wickets again for just 10 runs as Pakistan collapsed for 106, far short of the target of 171 in a battle of nerves in the Group A clash.
“I varied my pace in every ball,” said player-of-the-match Sharma. “I always believe... whenever the time will come I’ll step up for the team. That’s how I play and bowl.”
India and Pakistan engaged in a military conflict that nearly snowballed into a fully-fledged war last year. There has been a long freeze in bilateral cricket between the nuclear-armed neighbours, and they play each other only in neutral venues in multilateral tournaments.
There was no handshake between the captains once again as India’s Harmanpreet Kaur won the toss and chose to bat on Edgbaston’s slow wicket, but her decision almost backfired when Shafali Verma and Jemimah Rodrigues fell in the first four overs.
But Smriti Mandhana and Kaur, calm under pressure, added 91 runs for the third wicket. Pakistan captain Fatima Sana (2-33) caught Mandhana (68) in the 14th over and got Kaur (36) caught near the boundary soon after, arresting India’s momentum.
Under pressure again, India had a 21-ball spell when they could not hit a single boundary, before Richa Ghosh (34 off 17 balls) dug them out of that rut, hitting Tasmia Rubab for three fours and a six to collect 23 runs from the 19th over, getting them to 170-6.
Pakistan openers Muneeba Ali and Gull Feroza scored 37 off Indian seamers in the first four overs, forcing Kaur to bring on spinner Sharma early. Sharma turned the momentum in India’s favour, dismissing Feroza and Ayesha in her first two overs.
Fellow spinner Shree Charani (3-21) sent back Saira Jabeen early, before opener Muneeba Ali (41) got run out by Sharma’s direct throw, leaving Pakistan at 75-4. Fatima fell soon after for a duck, kicking off the collapse.
Sharma wrapped up the match with three wickets in the 17th over.
“The batting side was very disappointing. We need to step up as we have a long way to go... we got sloppy,” said Fatima.Earlier, Sharmin Akhter steered Bangladesh through a mid-innings wobble with a mature 37 not out as the Tigresses beat the Netherlands by six wickets at Edgbaston.
The Netherlands were playing in their first-ever T20 World Cup match and, after posting 139 for eight in their innings, they pulled Bangladesh back from 67 without loss to 85 for four.
Caroline De Lange took two wickets in two balls, including dangerous opener Juairiya Ferdous (50), but Sharmin and Shorna Akter helped Bangladesh to victory with five balls to spare.
Netherland’s captain Babette De Leede had earlier hit 50 not out to lead the side to a strong total.Late on Saturday, Shemaine Campbelle starred as West Indies timed their run chase perfectly to beat New Zealand by seven wickets in Southampton.
Aaliyah Alleyne took four wickets, including top scorers Brooke Halliday (40) and Izzy Gaze (39) as New Zealand were held to 162-6 from their 20 overs.
Wicket-keeper Campbelle was the driving force in the West Indies’ reply with a brilliant 90 not out from 62 balls, featuring seven fours and three sixes.
Captain Hayley Matthews chipped in with 48 from 37 balls as the West Indies reached 163-3 with one ball to spare.
Sisters Kathryn and Sarah Bryce shone as Scotland opened their campaign with a 40-run win over Ireland at Old Trafford.
Kathryn top-scored with 60 from 39 balls and Sarah weighed in with 49. The pair put on 106 for the third wicket as the Scots made 161-5 from their 20 overs.
Kathryn then took 2-19, including the match-clinching wicket of Aimee Maguire, as Ireland were bowled out for 121.
Published in Dawn, June 15th, 2026