Published: June 26, 2026 at 11:22 am
Opener Shafali Verma produced a player-of-the-match performance as India beat Bangladesh by five wickets to boost their ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 semifinal hopes. Shafali hit a 29-ball half-century as India chased down 137 to win, while Radha Yadav earlier took three wickets.
Bangladesh fell short of setting a high total at the Old Trafford, as Juairiya Ferdous top-scored with 33 in the Tigresses’ 136 for eight.
The result leaves India second in Group A with three wins from four matches ahead of a mouth-watering clash with leaders Australia, while Bangladesh are fourth with two wins and two defeats.
Radha makes amends with three wickets
Bangladesh won the toss and chose to make India field first for the first time this tournament, but they were quickly on the back foot. Renuka Singh Thakur took her first wicket of the tournament in the second over, with Dilara Akter caught in the deep by Sree Charani.
Opener Juairiya Ferdous was dropped three times, and India were made to pay, as she and Sobhana Mostary built a 51-run partnership. Juairiya was eventually out for 33 from 31 balls to a Nandni Sharma caught and bowled, before Sobhana, who was also dropped by Sharma, was out for 22 as Deepti Sharma held on to a catch off Radha (three for 28).
Renuka Singh Thakur celebrates a wicket with her teammates
The Tigresses built partnerships but struggled to accelerate the run rate as captain Nigar Sultana departed for 32 from 27, leaving Bangladesh 106 for four in the 17th over.
India then took four quick wickets to reduce Bangladesh to 136 for eight, with Charani (2/21) picking up two wickets in the final over.
Shafali sets the tone with 29-ball 50
With the race for the semifinals heating up, India aimed to boost their net run rate and made an emphatic start to the chase. Shafali was dropped inside the opening over and used it as a motivator by crunching a 29-ball half-century, featuring eight fours.
https://x.com/ICC/status/2070314225608913354?s=20
In the middle of that, Smriti Mandhana was dismissed for eight as Rabeya Khan held on to a tough catch off the bowling of Marufa Akter.
Shafali was next to go, stumped by Nigar off the bowling of Nahida Akter, having moved India into the ascendancy with 53 from 34 balls.
India reached the halfway stage of the innings at 85 for two, leaving the required run rate below a run a ball, and with Yastika Bhatia well-set, having also been dropped by Rabeya on 14.
Jemimah Rodrigues and captain Harmanpreet Kaur saw them over the line with 19 balls to spare. Pics: ICC/Getty Images
Richa Ghosh, promoted up the order to get the job done, was reprieved on an LBW call while on nine, but Bhatia (23) fell shortly to Ritu Moni, who then pulled out a dancing celebration.
Ghosh was next to go, this time not surviving the LBW review, as India slipped to 98 for four, needing 39 from 46.
Bangladesh put on the squeeze, with three overs in a row going for four runs or fewer, but Jemimah Rodrigues (26), who struck some kind of form, and captain Harmanpreet Kaur (13 not out) saw them over the line with 19 balls to spare.
Brief scores: Bangladesh 136 for 8 in 20 overs (Juairiya Ferdous 33, Nigar Sultana 32; Radha Yadav 3/28, Sree Charani 2/21) lost to India 139 for 5 in 16.5 overs (Shafali Verma 53, Jemimah Rodrigues 26; Ritu Moni 2/29, Rabeya Khan 1/19).
