Shafali Verma’s Blazing Fifty Powers India Past Bangladesh in Women’s T20 World Cup 2026
India returned to winning ways in the Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 with a five-wicket win over Bangladesh at Old Trafford. Shafali Verma starred with a fluent 53 off 34 balls, while Radha Yadav’s 3/28 helped restrict Bangladesh to 136/8 despite a fighting effort from Nigar Sultana’s side.
June 25, 2026: India bounced back in the Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 with a comfortable five-wicket win over Bangladesh at Old Trafford, Manchester, on Thursday. Chasing 137, the Women in Blue reached the target in 16.5 overs, thanks largely to a brilliant 53 off 34 balls from Shafali Verma. Earlier, Bangladesh posted 136/8 after opting to bat first, with Radha Yadav starring for India with figures of 3/28.
Bangladesh had a decent start to their innings despite losing Dilara Akter early for 4 off 8 balls. Juairiya Ferdous and Sobhana Mostary then steadied the innings with a 51-run stand for the second wicket. Juairiya made 33 off 31 balls, while Sobhana added 22 from 26 deliveries. Captain Nigar Sultana also played an important hand, scoring 32 off 27 balls to keep Bangladesh in the contest.
However, Bangladesh could not fully capitalize in the final phase of the innings. Sharmin Akhter struggled to accelerate and later retired out after making 10 off 12 balls, becoming the first Bangladesh cricketer to retire out in a T20 World Cup match. Late cameos from Swarna Akter (13 off 10) and Ritu Moni (8 off 4) pushed Bangladesh to 136/8 in 20 overs. It was their highest total while batting first in Women’s T20 World Cup history.
🔙 to winning ways ✌️#TeamIndia bag 2⃣ points with a comprehensive victory by 5⃣ wickets in Manchester ✅
— BCCI Women (@BCCIWomen) June 25, 2026
Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/mWgNXcEkp0#T20WorldCup | #WomenInBlue | #INDvBAN pic.twitter.com/WMuuLzsfyZ
Shafali makes Bangladesh pay after early missed chance
India’s chase could have had a very different beginning. In the very first over, Shafali Verma offered an early chance after edging Marufa Akter behind the stumps, but Nigar Sultana failed to hold on. Bangladesh paid heavily for that missed opportunity as Shafali launched a counterattack and took the game away with a superb half-century.
Although India lost Smriti Mandhana early and later slipped to 98/4 after quick wickets of Yastika Bhatia and Richa Ghosh, Bangladesh could not build enough pressure. Yastika scored 23 off 18 balls, while Jemimah Rodrigues played a crucial cameo of 26 off just 15 deliveries. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur then stayed calm at the end and guided India home with 18 balls to spare.
Continuing her fiery form 🔥
— BCCI Women (@BCCIWomen) June 25, 2026
Player of the Match Shafali Verma with yet another impactful performance in the #T20WorldCup 👏
Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/mWgNXcEkp0#TeamIndia | #WomenInBlue | #INDvBAN | @TheShafaliVerma pic.twitter.com/jgwPZjSIZN
Earlier in the innings, India’s bowlers kept Bangladesh from gaining complete control. Renuka Singh, returning from injury and playing her first match of the tournament, struck in her opening spell to remove Dilara. Radha Yadav then turned the match with key wickets in the middle overs, including Sobhana Mostary and Nigar Sultana, as Bangladesh lost momentum after a promising platform.
The win kept India in second place in Group 1 with six points from four matches and a strong Net Run Rate of 2.268, keeping their semi-final hopes firmly in their own hands. Bangladesh, meanwhile, suffered their second defeat in four matches, and their chances of reaching the last four are now hanging by a thread. Nigar Sultana’s side will next face South Africa on June 28, while India take on six-time champions Australia in a potentially decisive final group-stage clash.
Brief scores:
Bangladesh Women 136/8 in 20 overs (Juairiya Ferdous 33, Nigar Sultana 32; Radha Yadav 3/28) lost to India Women 139/5 in 16.5 overs (Shafali Verma 53, Jemimah Rodrigues 26; Ritu Moni 2/29) by five wickets.
