Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma’s opening 115-run stand set India up for a 95-run win over the Netherlands in the first T20I meeting between the teams.
The openers put on the second biggest partnership of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 so far, as India posted an imposing 209 for five.
The Netherlands were proactive in their chase but always well behind the required rate as Verma took three for 20 to dismiss the Dutch in the 18th over.
MANDHANA AND VERMA PILE ON BIG TOTAL
The Netherlands sensibly chose to field under overcast conditions, but the decision backfired as openers Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma soon found the boundary regularly.
Even without timing the ball well, Verma crunched three fours from Isabel van der Woning’s first over in an ominous sign of what was to come.
To make matters worse, the Netherlands struggled with wayward bowling as Myrthe van den Raad conceded six wides off her first over in World Cup cricket, while Van der Woning conceded five runs off a no-ball before her free hit delivery was a wide.
After reaching halfway at 96 without loss, Verma made her half-century from 34 balls, with Frederique Overdijk at full stretch unable to catch the right-hander on the delivery she reached fifty.
Verma’s luck run out as she departed for 55 from 38 balls with Heather Siegers (1/31) etching her name in the history books with the Netherlands’ first-ever T20I wicket against India as Iris Zwilling took a strong catch.
Even as her 115-run partnership ended,
She was eventually dismissed for 74 from 47 as a floaty Caroline de Lange delivery saw the left-hander mistime her shot and Zwilling took the catch to leave India at 162 for two.
India then suffered a collapse of sorts, as they slipped to 168 for four at the beginning of the 17th over as Jemimah Rodrigues went for 19 before Yastika Bhatia’s departure for three left De Lange (2/32) on a hat-trick.
Harmanpreet Kaur negotiated the hat-trick ball safely but departed two balls from the end for 12, and there was time for a final flourish from Deepti Sharma as she struck Zwilling for a six and a four to see India post 209, their fourth highest T20I total.
SREE CHARANI SPREE SETS UP HUGE WIN
The Netherlands came out with good intent as they faced a mammoth chase, with Heather Siegers opening
She was also the first to depart having made 21 from 16, as she was caught by Mandhana off the bowling of Nandni Sharma on World Cup debut.
India were then forced into an unexpected change with Shreyanka Patil departing the field with an apparent ankle injury, as Verma was required to bowl the rest of Patil’s over.
Deepti Sharma continued where she left off after five for 10 against Pakistan, dismissing Phebe Molkenboer for 15 to leave the Netherlands at 50 for two in the eighth over.
The Dutch reached the halfway stage of their chase needing an improbable 142 runs in 60 balls, but captain Babette de Leede continued to play positively.
On her home ground, Sterre Kalis made 18 from 13 before she was bowled by Verma and De Leede’s resolve ended on 28 as Nandni Sharma got her second as Richa Ghosh stumped her opposite wicketkeeper.
Robine Rijke fell two balls later for eight to see the Netherlands slip to 98 for five and they further crumbled to 114 for eight as Sree Charani picked up three wickets in an over en route to four for 19.
The final two wickets went to Verma as India completed a 95-run win to boost their chances of qualification.
Scores in brief
India v the Netherlands – Headingley, Leeds
India 209/5 in 20 overs (Smriti Mandhana 74, Shafali Verma 55; Caroline de Lange 2/32, Heather Siegers 1/31)
The Netherlands 114 all out in 17.3 overs (Babette de Leede 28, Heather Siegers 21; Sree Charani 4/19, Shafali Verma 3/20)
Result: India win by 95 runs
Disco Thunder
Sport Trivia: Which South African swimmer was the first woman ever to win both the 100m and 200m Olympic breaststroke event, this was achieved at the 1996 Olympics? Answer: Penny Heyns. Penny Heyns is regarded as one of the best breaststroke swimmers ever. At the Atlanta Olympics, she won her first gold for the 100 metres breaststroke in a world record time of 1:07:02 and her second gold in the 200 metres in an Olympic record time of 2:25:41.
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The longest cricket match took place in 1939 between England and South Africa.