Strong half-centuries from Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma and Sree Charani‘s four-wicket haul led India to a crushing 95-run victory over the Netherlands in their 2026 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup match at Headingley in Leeds on Wednesday.

Pushed into batting first under overcast skies, Smriti and Shafali cashed in on wayward new‑ball bowling to share a 115‑run stand before Shafali departed for 55 off 38 balls, studded with ten boundaries. Smriti, in magnificent form, top-scored with 74 runs off 47 deliveries, including 11 boundaries and a maximum in her second consecutive half-century.

With precise placement and clean hitting, Richa Ghosh (20 not out) and Deepti Sharma (10 not out) delivered the final burst, propelling India to their greatest score in the competition’s history. Even though the Netherlands had some bright spots, they blew them with dropped catches and tense bowling as India posted its first 200-plus total in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.

The Netherlands was bowled out in 17. 3 overs for 114 runs due to the bowlers’ efforts, who were headed by Shafali Verma’s 3-20 and Charani’s four-for, which guaranteed the threat was never posed. India are now at the top of Group A with a net run rate of 3. 98, which is 0. 10 higher than Australia’s, thanks to the victory.

India will also hope that everything is OK with off-spin all-rounder Shreyanka Patil, who was taken off the field in a stretcher after spraining her right ankle while fielding off her own bowling. It was a downer in India’s dominating victory to see her carried off the field on a stretcher.

Shafali started India’s innings by delaying the opening of her bat face to guide Iris Zwilling for a boundary, then leaning back to cut Heather Siegers through extra cover for a second boundary. Smriti contributed to the boundary-hitting action with sharp drives as the Netherlands battled with lines, and then Shafali pulled and lofted Isabel van der Woning for three boundaries.

Smriti then lofted Iris over extra cover and punched through the same region to bring up India’s joint-fastest team fifty in Women’s T20 World Cup history – achieved inside 5. 1 overs. The Netherlands’ problems were exacerbated by Myrthe van den Raad’s anxious first over, during which she gave up six wides and India stormed to 59/0 by the conclusion of the powerplay.

From there, the momentum increased as Shafali expertly lofted and sliced Isabel for boundaries before scooping and sweeping Caroline de Lange for her first T20 World Cup fifty in the 11th over, which came off 34 deliveries. Smriti then hit her own back-to-back fifties, this one in 36 balls by dancing down the ground to smack a boundary before carving Heather for a six over long-off.

Jemimah Rodrigues came in with crisp timing, driving through extra cover and pulling confidently for her boundaries, even after Shafali was bowled out for 55 after holing out to long-on off Heather.

In the 15th over, Smriti demonstrated her flawless timing and strategic shot placement, hitting Silver Siegers for four boundaries.

She first strode down the pitch to chip one over extra cover, and then came out to loft straight back over the bowler’s head once more. Smriti remained deep in the crease and finished the 18-run over with a decisive slog-sweep through deep mid-wicket, before smashing a pull square of the wicket.

Netherlands rallied after Smriti struck a superb lofted straight drive off Caroline, but Smriti toed a loft to mid-off, Jemimah gave an edge behind while attempting to play a pre-mediated scoop off Myrthe, and Yastika Bhatia was stumped after being tricked by a googly from the leg-spinner.

Harmanpreet Kaur sliced and smashed to get two fours, while Richa lit up the 18th over with a flat six over the bowler’s head and a boundary slapped past sweeper cover. Deepti flicked a full ball over fine leg for six to bring up India’s 200 and pulled the last ball for four after Harmanpreet hit to mid-off against Iris, as 19 runs came off the final over.

With a large 209 to defend, India had to wait for a breakthrough as Heather and Phebe Moleknboer scored six boundaries. Heather chipped to extra cover for 21, giving Nandni Sharma the breakthrough they had been waiting for.

Shafali bowled Sterre Kalis to leave the Netherlands reeling at 77/3, while Deepti followed up by taking out Phebe, who cut to mid-off. Skipper Babette de Leede gave 28 runs of opposition, but her Nandni stumping caused a collapse.

Charani was the primary destructor as the Netherlands lost four wickets in the space of 12 balls from 96/4, with Robine Rijke, Frederique Overdijk, Myrthe van den Raad, and Iris Zwilling all falling to her trickery.

India’s spinners took eight wickets, with Shafali returning to take two more scalps, to put the ODI World Cup holders at the top of Group A.

Brief scores:
India 209/5 in 20 overs (Smriti Mandhana 74, Shafali Verma 55; Caroline de Lange 2-32, Heather Siegers 1-31)
Netherlands 114 all out in 17.3 overs (Babette de Leede 28, Heather Siegers 21; Sree Charani 4-19, Shafali Verma 3-20) by 95 runs