The 2024 Women’s Twenty20 World Cup opened with two dramatic days of group-stage action in Birmingham, England, that delivered record-breaking performances and historic upsets at the sold-out Edgbaston Stadium on Sunday.
In the headline matchup between long-time rivals India and Pakistan, India claimed a dominant 64-run victory, kicking off its long-running quest for a first-ever Women’s T20 World Cup title in style. Off-spinner Deepti Sharma produced one of the most devastating closing spells in tournament history, spinning through Pakistan’s final three wickets in just five deliveries to seal the win, finishing with career-defining figures of 5 wickets for just 10 runs. The result extended India’s unbeaten streak against Pakistan in T20 World Cup competition.
India’s total of 170 for 6 came from a late-order turnaround that shocked even their own supporters. Opening batter Smriti Mandhana survived two dropped catches early in her innings — including one on 27 and another on 55, where a top-edged hit ricocheted off her helmet and forced a mandatory concussion check — before storming to a 38-ball 68. After Mandhana’s departure triggered a minor batting collapse that left India at 132 for 5 heading into the 19th over, young wicketkeeper-batter Richa Ghosh exploded into action, blasting 34 runs off just 17 deliveries. Ghosh and Sharma piled on 23 runs against World Cup debutant Tasmia Rubab in the 19th over, before Pakistan captain Fatima Sana conceded 15 runs in the final over, pushing India to its highest ever total against Pakistan in T20 World Cup history.
Pakistan got off to a flying start in its chase, posting its highest ever powerplay score against India at 52 for 1, with opener Muneeba Ali surviving two dropped catches off Shreyanka Patil. But India turned the tide by the 10th over, when Sharma produced a spectacular direct hit from backward point to run out Ali for 41, breaking Pakistan’s momentum. When Sana fell in the following over to leave Pakistan at 77 for 5, the chase collapsed entirely. Shree Charani supported Sharma’s match-winning spell with 3 wickets for 21 runs, helping bowl Pakistan out for just 106. The five-wicket haul pushed Sharma to become the leading wicket-taker in the history of women’s T20 international cricket, marking her second five-wicket haul in a major ICC tournament just seven months after her player-of-the-match performance in India’s ODI World Cup final win over South Africa.
The sell-out crowd of 18,814 at Edgbaston set a new attendance record for a Women’s T20 World Cup group-stage match, underscoring the growing global popularity of women’s cricket.
In the second match of the day on the same Edgbaston pitch, Bangladesh pulled off the highest successful run chase in their Women’s T20 World Cup history, defeating the Netherlands by six wickets with five balls to spare. Chasing a target of 140 set by the Netherlands’ 139 for 8, 20-year-old opener Juairiya Ferdous laid the perfect foundation for Bangladesh with a blistering 50 off 33 balls. Ferdous survived two reprieves — a controversial third-umpire overturned catch on 7 and a dropped catch on 18 — before hammering two sixes over midwicket to put Bangladesh well on track for victory.
Dutch spinners Silver Siegers, Heather Siegers and Caroline de Lange slowed Bangladesh’s progress after Ferdous’ departure, with de Lange picking up two wickets for 27 runs. But an unbroken 56-run partnership between Sharmin Akhter and Shorna Akter closed out the chase, securing Bangladesh their fourth win in seven Women’s T20 World Cup campaigns. For the Netherlands, captain Babette de Leede top-scored with a 45-ball 50 before being run out in the 17th over while attempting a second run, while Bangladesh medium-pacers Marufa Akter and Ritu Moni led the bowling attack with two wickets for 31 and one wicket for 17 respectively.
The tournament continues Tuesday with matches between New Zealand and Sri Lanka, followed by hosts England facing Ireland.