Hello and welcome to the coverage of the 2026 Women's T20 World Cup match between India and Bangladesh at the Old Trafford Cricket Ground in Manchester.
India will be eager to fix their middle-order batting issues and fielding lapses when they face the neighbours in a key Group A match.
While the opening pair of Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma has given India strong starts, concerns have grown over the inability of the middle order to convert those platforms into big totals.
Mandhana has been in fine form, scoring 159 runs in three matches, while Shafali has made 92 runs, both striking at more than 154 to set the tone at the top.
However, the middle order has struggled to maintain momentum. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur, Jemimah Rodrigues and Yastika Bhatia have failed to provide stability or accelerate the innings. Between them, Kaur and Rodrigues have managed only 11 boundaries and no sixes, while Yastika has hit just three fours.
This has left the lower middle order with too much to do. Richa Ghosh and Deepti Sharma have responded well, striking at over 170 and 150 respectively, but often arrive too late to influence the game fully.
Despite these issues, India have won two of their three matches and sit second in Group A with four points and a strong net run rate. Big wins over Pakistan and the Netherlands have helped their position. Australia lead the group with eight points, while South Africa remain close behind, making the race for the top two tight.
India’s recent six-wicket loss to South Africa exposed further weaknesses, including missed chances in the field. Even after reducing South Africa to 25/2, India failed to close out the game, with dropped catches proving costly.
With Australia next after Bangladesh, India will be under pressure to sharpen both batting and fielding as the tournament enters its decisive phase.
Bangladesh, however, arrive with confidence after wins over Pakistan and New Zealand and will look to test India with disciplined, collective performances.
