India to lock horns with Pakistan in T20 WC blockbuster:Women in Blue won 13 matches against arch rivals, Fatima Sana suffers injury scare

The Indian women’s cricket team is set to begin their journey in the Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 with a blockbuster contest against Pakistan. The high-profile clash will be played at Edgbaston, Birmingham, on 14 June, with the match scheduled to begin at 7:00 PM IST. India had recently clinched their maiden ODI World Cup in 2025, defeating Laura Wolvaardt-led South Africa. The Indian squad for the Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 will be led by Harmanpreet Kaur, with Smriti Mandhana as her deputy. The Women in Blue look strong on paper in all departments. Deepti Sharma could be the X-factor for the side. In the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup, India defeated Pakistan by 88 runs. Meanwhile, BCCI President Mithun Manhas extended his well-wishes ahead of the high-profile clash in India’s campaign opener. He said, “The entire cricketing fraternity and the nation stand firmly behind you. May your hard work be rewarded with success, and may you continue to make India proud through your performances on and off the field. Wishing you the very best!! #ICC Women’s T-20 world Cup. Jai Hind. Jai Bharat,” IND-W vs PAK-W, T20 WC 2026, match details Match: India Women vs Pakistan Women, match 6 Venue: Edgbaston, Birmingham Date: 14 June, 2026 Time: 7:00 PM IST, toss at 6:30 PM IST Where to watch: Star Sports Network (TV), JioHotstar (Streaming) Where to follow: Catch all live updates from the match on Bhaskar English IND-W vs PAK-W, head-to-head record India Women boast a dominant record against Pakistan Women in T20 Internationals. The two arch-rivals have faced each other 16 times in the shortest format of the game, with India emerging victorious in 13 encounters. Pakistan, led by Fatima Sana, have managed to register only three wins against the Harmanpreet Kaur-led side. Suspense over Fatima Sana’s participation against India Pakistan captain Fatima Sana suffered a minor injury scare ahead of her team’s ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 opener against India after being struck on the knee during a net session on Saturday. The incident briefly raised concerns over her availability for the high-profile clash. However, Sana downplayed the issue during the pre-match press conference, explaining that the ball hit her knee after a shot from teammate Ayesha Zafar. She added that the injury had improved and expressed confidence about being fit for Sunday’s encounter, saying she was hopeful of taking the field against India. Smriti Mandhana, Deepti Sharma aim to dominate arch rivals at Edgbaston Team India opener Smriti Mandhana is the leading run-scorer for the Women in Blue in T20Is with 4,333 runs in 166 matches. She has scored runs with a strike rate of 124.54, including a highest individual best score of 112 runs. However, all-rounder Deepti Sharma has taken 161 wickets in 144 matches for India in his T20I career. She has conceded runs with an economy of 6.32 runs, including an individual best figure of 5/19. Muneeba Ali, Nashra Sandhu eye 4th T20I victory vs India Pakistan’s wicket-keeper batter Muneeba Ali is the leading run-scorer with 1,602 runs in T20Is. She has scored runs with a strike rate of 98.04 in 89 matches. Her individual highest score is 102. However, Nashra Sandhu with the ball stands out as the leading wicket-taker with 74 wickets in 77 matches. She has conceded runs with an economy of 5.54 and has a best figure of 4/18. Sandhu has dismissed Mandhana twice in T20Is Smriti Mandhana has scored 22 runs, facing 27 balls with a strike rate of 81.48 against Pakistan’s Nashra Sandhu in 3 innings. Sandhu boasts a cheap economy of 4.88 against India’s left-handed opener. Balanced battle between Muneeba Ali, Deepti Sharma Pakistan’s wicket-keeper batter Muneeba Ali scored 24 runs, facing 29 balls with a strike rate of 4.96 in 4 innings against Deepti Sharma. In a balanced battle, India’s all-rounder could manage to remove Muneeba only once in T20Is. However, she has conceded runs at a cheap economy of 4.96. Edgbaston pitch report The pitch at Edgbaston, Birmingham, traditionally assists fast bowlers in the early stages, with seam and swing on offer, especially under cloudy conditions. As the match progresses, the surface generally settles down and becomes more favourable for batters. Unlike many other venues in England, Edgbaston can also offer some help to spinners, making it a balanced ground where both pace and spin bowlers can play important roles. Birmingham weather report On Sunday evening, the weather in Birmingham will be a bit cloudy with a temperature of 13° during the clash between India and Pakistan. However, there is a 25% chance of rain in Edgbaston.