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Deepti Sharma’s World Cup Love Affair Continues as India’s Silent Match-Winner Delivers Again

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Deepti Sharma (Image: BCCI Women) “We have started this World Cup where we ended the last World Cup back home,” said Deepti Sharma after her match-winning five-for against Pakistan, which also fetched her the Player of the Match award. For Deepti, things have never come easy. Take the game that transformed women’s cricket in India, and yet one that Deepti tries relentlessly to forget. At the time when Deepti, just 20 then, came out to bat against England in the 2017 World Cup final at Lord’s, India could almost smell the cup and were within touching distance. One good effort from Deepti and history would be made. Unfortunately for her and the team, pressure got the better of the 20-year-old, and Sharma had to settle for second best. She got another opportunity in 2018 in the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean against the very same opponents, and yet again wasn’t able to perform to her potential, getting run out for 7 and picking up a solitary wicket for 24 in her four...
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IND-W vs PAK-W: Harmanpreet Kaur praises collective effort after India’s big win in Birmingham

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India in Edgbaston Stadium (PC: BCCI Women) India captain Harmanpreet Kaur praised her team’s all-round performance, which helped them register a dominant 64-run win over Pakistan in their tournament opener at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 in Birmingham on Sunday. Speaking to broadcasters after the match, Harmanpreet first acknowledged the supporters present at Edgbaston Stadium and then highlighted the role of senior players in the team. “I would like to thank the crowd for turning up today,” she said. “[On Mandhana and Deepti] Whenever we need, they are always there to push the team. It was a decent pitch. Initially, we unnecessarily put pressure on ourselves. But when Smriti and I were batting, we tried to control the game.” The seasoned right-handed batter also led from the front with a composed 36-run knock in the middle order. After India lost a few early wickets, Harmanpreet stitched a crucial 91-run stand with vice-captain Smriti Mandhana (68) to push the total to 170/6...
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Women’s T20 World Cup 2026: Shemaine Campbelle’s maiden T20I fifty powers West Indies to stunning win over New Zealand

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Shemaine Campbelle (PC: X) New Zealand’s title defence in the ongoing ICC Women’s T20 World Cup suffered an early setback as West Indies stunned them by seven wickets in Southampton. Chasing 163, Shemaine Campbelle produced a magnificent unbeaten 90 off 62 balls as the Windies crossed the line with one ball to spare. Unsurprisingly, she was named Player of the Match.  The Windies lost Qiana Joseph cheaply in the chase, but a valuable 74-run partnership between Campbelle and skipper Hayley Matthews laid the foundation. Matthews looked in good touch before being dismissed for 48 off 37 balls. At that stage, Campbelle was on 31 from 30 deliveries. However, she shifted gears brilliantly and scored 59 runs from her next 32 balls, showcasing her power-hitting ability.  The most eventful passage came in the 14th over when White Ferns skipper Amelia Kerr came on to bowl. Campbelle launched the first ball of the over for six and then, two deliveries later, Kerr was unable to h...
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Women’s T20 World Cup 2026: India complete final preparations ahead of Pakistan clash at Edgbaston

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India took a close look at the pitch (PC: RevSportz) On the eve of their ICC Women’s T20 World Cup opener at Edgbaston, Team India completed their final practice session before taking on Pakistan. The session comprised light drills followed by the usual net sessions for both batters and bowlers. Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues had a few throwdowns before spending some time in the nets. Meanwhile, Shreyanka Patil and veteran spinner Deepti Sharma were also seen rolling their arms over ahead of the crucial clash. The rest of the squad went through their regular routines and drills to sharpen their skills. However, India did not train on the main Edgbaston ground. On one half of the venue, Netherlands Women were carrying out catching and fielding drills as they geared up for their first-ever Women’s T20 World Cup match against Bangladesh on Sunday. The pitch remained under covers for most of the session. However, when the covers were briefly removed, India head coach Amol Muzum...
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Women’s T20 World Cup 2026: Australia crush South Africa by 65 runs to make early statement

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Australia (PC: ICC) Australia could hardly have asked for a better start to their Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 campaign. A clinical all-round performance saw them brush aside fellow contenders South Africa by 65 runs at Edgbaston, collecting two valuable points and an important net run-rate boost in the toughest group of the tournament. Opting to bat first, Australia’s decision appeared slightly surprising given the chasing trend at the venue. However, Sophie Molineux’s side anticipated the surface slowing down as the match progressed, and their tactical call proved spot on as South Africa struggled badly in the second innings. Australia posted 172 for 8 before bowling South Africa out for just 107, with their spin attack taking complete control of the contest. South Africa’s experienced new-ball pair of Marizanne Kapp and Shabnim Ismail made an immediate impact. Kapp removed Georgia Voll in the opening over before Ismail accounted for Beth Mooney, leaving Australia under pressure ins...
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England Thrash Sri Lanka by 87 Runs to Open Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 in Style

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Freya Kemp and Danni Wyatt-Hodge (PC: ECB) England began their home World Cup campaign with an emphatic victory over Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka won the toss and elected to field first. England posted a mammoth 219/1 before bowling Sri Lanka out for 132. England persisted with the opening pair of Amy Jones and Danni Wyatt-Hodge, who have opened since the first warm-up game, and both batters launched an assault on the Sri Lankan bowling. The visitors often gifted them scoring opportunities, with the bowlers providing ample room, particularly to Danni. England raced to 51/0 at the end of the powerplay. It only got worse for Sri Lanka from there. England added another 84 runs in the next 7.3 overs before Malki Madara dismissed Amy Jones. By then, Jones had registered her second fifty of the T20 World Cup. Sri Lanka’s fielders did little to ease the pressure on their bowlers, with dropped catches and misfields compounding their misery. England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt joined Danni in the midd...
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Left-arm spin focus as India gear up for Pakistan challenge

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India Women Practice session (PC: RevSportz) Team India had their first practice session in Birmingham today ahead of their ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 opener against arch-rivals Pakistan on June 14 at Edgbaston. At the King Edward’s School Ground (Eastern Road Sports Ground and Pavilion), the entire squad turned up for a lengthy three-hour session. Proceedings began with the usual warm-up drills before the players moved into the nets one by one. Interestingly, three separate nets were set up. In Net Two, openers Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma were seen batting together while facing Deepti Sharma, Kranti Gaud and two net bowlers — one seamer and one left-arm spinner. The seamer and Kranti bowled from both sides of the wicket, particularly at Shafali, testing the opener with bouncers. Overall, Shafali looked solid, but Smriti managed only a handful of well-timed shots. Apart from those, she appeared to struggle with her timing. The mistimed shots clearly left her frustrated, a...
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