WT20 WC: Top order crucial for India, says Smriti Mandhana
What's the story
India's vice-captain Smriti Mandhana has emphasized the importance of her opening partnership with Shafali Verma ahead of the upcoming ICC Women's T20 World Cup. This comes after their disappointing performance in a recent WT20I series in England, which India lost 2-1. The duo had a disappointing run, recording opening stands of 19, 27, and 0 in three matches.
Improvement pledge
Mandhana acknowledges their struggles
Mandhana acknowledged their struggles in the series but stressed on their potential. "For me and Shifu, we are definitely timing the ball well but unfortunately we are not able to contribute in big ways for the team," she said after India's six-wicket defeat in the third WT20I. She also promised that they would work hard to come back stronger as an opening pair.
Series analysis
Individual numbers of the opening pair in the series
In the WT20I series against England, Mandhana averaged 13.33 with a top score of 32, while Shafali fared worse with an average of 11.66 but a better strike rate of 152.17 than Mandhana's 114.28, according to ESPNcricinfo. Their only decent contribution came in the second game in Bristol, Mandhana smashed a 25-ball 32 and Shafali 14-ball 22. However, India failed to chase down 169.
Captain's impact
Mandhana praises skipper Harmanpreet Kaur
Despite a defeat in the decider, captain Harmanpreet Kaur scored an unbeaten 56 off 40 balls to help India post 180/5. Mandhana was all praise for her captain after the match. "Harman, when she is at her best, it is a sight to watch," she said. "Today, she played all over the ground, really important innings under pressure today, especially when we needed that knock to get us to 180-plus."
Upcoming matches
India's WT20 WC schedule
India will face Pakistan in their opening match of the 2026 Women's T20 World Cup on June 14 in Birmingham. They are placed in Group 1 with Australia, South Africa, Bangladesh, and the Netherlands. Before the main tournament begins, India will play two warm-up matches against the West Indies and England.