BIRMINGHAM: Pakistan Women competed well but their limited top-level experience and exposure let them down against an established and well-rounded India Women in a Group 1 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 match at Edgbaston on Sunday.

Dropped catches of top-scorer Smriti Mandhana on 27 and 55, a penalty for two slow overs despite 12 overs being bowled by the slow bowlers, and the decision to bowl World Cup debutant Tasmia Rubab against a hard-hitting Richa Ghosh in the penultimate over that went for 23 runs, allowed India to recover from 132 for five in 18 overs to 170 for six in 20 overs.

Pakistan then made a promising and solid start when they raced to 53 for one in 6.2 overs, but lost nine wickets for 53 runs to be dismissed for 106 in 17 overs — 64 runs short of the target.

Opener Muneeba Ali and Gull Feroza put on 38 runs for the first wicket in 4.4 overs as Pakistan finished their PowerPlay at 52 for one — 13 more runs at one less wicket as compared to India. Pakistan then moved to 72 for three at the halfway stage — seven more runs and one more wicket as compared to India at the same stage — before capitulating to the slow bowlers.

Off-spinner Deepti Sharma was the pick of the India bowlers when she finished with figures of 4-0-10-5. She accounted for Gull Feroza (12), Ayesha Zafar (12), Aliya Riaz (18), Nashra Sandhu (4) and Tasmia Rubab (0). She was also involved in the run-out of Pakistan’s top-scorer Muneeba Ali, who scored 41 from 35 balls with five fours.

Left-arm spinner Shree Charani also had an enjoyable day in front of a full house when she picked up the wickets of Saira Jabeen (2), Natalia Pervaiz (7) and Rameen Shamim (4) to finish with figures of three for 21.

Earlier, India, electing to bat first, were in some bother when they slipped to 18 for two. At that stage, Mandhana and captain Harmanpreet Kaur (36) stitched a 91-run third-wicket partnership in 64 balls. The partnership ended at 109 in 13.5 overs when Mandhana fell after scoring 68 from 44 balls with nine fours and two sixes.

Following Mandhana’s departure, Pakistan bowlers continued to apply pressure and suffocated India batters as their opponents reached 132 for five in 18 overs. However, 38 runs in the last two overs, including six fours and a six, enabled India to reach their highest score of 170 for six against Pakistan.

Pakistan captain Fatima Sana’s decision to bowl the inexperienced Tasmia Rubab ahead of herself proved costly as Ghosh plundered 23 runs, including four fours and a six, in the penultimate over. The Pakistan captain, who was also guilty of a slow over-rate, then gave away 15 runs in a nine-ball last over but managed to pick up the wicket of Ghosh, who scored an excellent 34 from 17 balls with five fours and a six.

Despite conceding 15 runs in the last over, Fatima finished as the most successful Pakistan bowler with two for 33, while Sadia Iqbal bagged two wickets for 41 runs. Tasmia’s penultimate over spoiled her figures as she finished with one for 41.

Pakistan will play South Africa at the same venue on Wednesday.

Scores in brief:

Match 6 (Group 1) — India Women beat Pakistan Women by 64 runs, Birmingham

INDIA 170-6, 20 overs (Smriti Mandhana 68, Harmanpreet Kaur 36, Richa Ghosh 34; Fatima Sana 2-33, Sadia Iqbal 2-41)

PAKISTAN 106 all out, 17 overs (Muneeba Ali 41; Deepti Sharma 5-10, Shree Charani 3-21)

PLAYER OF THE MATCH — Deepti Sharma (India)

PAKISTAN’S NEXT MATCH — v South Africa (Wednesday, 17 June), Birmingham