Indian Women’s team vice-captain, Smriti Mandhana is shining a light on herself and her opening partner, Shafali Verma, as they gear up for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026. Following India’s 2-1 T20I series loss to England, the vice-captain acknowledged that the opening duo needs to take on more responsibility at the top of the order. Mandhana expressed, “Shafali and I have a huge role to play,” as the team prepares itself for the World Cup in England. Although the squad displayed moments of strength throughout the series, the lack of solid starts was a lingering issue. With the tournament just around the corner, India’s seasoned opening pair is determined to turn promising beginnings into significant contributions.
Smriti during an interview post the England series said, “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.. But for both of us, we’ll go back in the nets, keep working hard and make sure we come back stronger as an opening pair because both of us pride ourselves to give good starts and keep the momentum going. But unfortunately we could not do that in the England series.”
The series revealed an unusual dip in performance from India’s opening pair. Mandhana scored 40 runs across three matches, averaging 13.33, while Shafali managed 35 runs at an average of 11.66. Their opening partnerships yielded scores of 19, 27, and 0. Despite these figures, Mandhana reassured that both batters are hitting the ball well and are committed to improving their game. India quickly bounced back in a World Cup warm-up match against the West Indies, where the duo put together an impressive 59 runs in just 5.2 overs.
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Lessons learnt from Capsey-Knight stand in 3rd T20I
India seemed to have the upper hand in the series decider, having reduced England to 38 for 3 while defending a target of 180. But then, Alice Capsey and Heather Knight turned the tide with an impressive 137-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Their collaboration led England to a six-wicket win with nine balls to spare.
Smriti acknowledged the 4th wicket partnership of England in 3rd T20I, as she said, “We definitely started extremely well with the ball, getting them to 35 for 3.. I wouldn’t really take anything away from the partnership they had. I think they played really good cricketing shots. They scored all around the ground.”
This partnership has provided India with valuable insights on how to handle similar situations in English conditions ahead of the World Cup.
Team sees progress in running between the wickets
One of the bright spots for India has been their improvement in running between the wickets. Mandhana shared that this topic has been a consistent part of their team discussions and batting meetings. The coaching staff has really emphasized the need to turn singles into twos and to keep up the intensity between deliveries.
Smriti stressed that they are working really hard on fitness, as she said, “That’s a constant topic in our batting meetings. Before the first match, the coach said that this is the last series in which I am going to raise this point because it’s not happening.”
The noticeable increase in their movement between the wickets during the England series is a testament to those efforts and provides a boost of confidence as they head into the global tournament.
When she is at her best, it’s a sight to watch: Mandhana about Harmanpreet’s 56(40)
Captain Harmanpreet Kaur was a standout performer in India’s final T20I, delivering a stellar unbeaten 56 off 40 balls. Her innings played a vital role in helping India bounce back from early challenges, allowing them to set a competitive total of 180 for 5. She showcased a variety of scoring options across the field, stepping up when the team needed some stability.
Talking about captain Harmanpreet’s knock she said, “When she is at her best, it’s a sight to watch. Today, I think she scored all around the ground. It was a really important innings under pressure, especially when we needed that sort of knock to get us past 180.”
She also pointed out the promising performances of other players, like Jemimah Rodrigues and Yastika Bhatia. With two warm-up matches ahead and the World Cup opener against Pakistan on June 14 in Birmingham, India is optimistic that the insights gained from their time in England will bolster their quest for the T20 title.
