Smriti Mandhana’s Message Ahead of Cricket’s Biggest Rivalry
New Delhi: India vice-captain Smriti Mandhana has urged cricket fans and stakeholders to focus on the Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 as a whole rather than centering attention solely on the much-anticipated India-Pakistan encounter.
India will begin its campaign against Pakistan on June 14 before taking on the Netherlands, South Africa, Bangladesh and Australia in the group stage.
Speaking after India’s third Women’s T20 International against England, Mandhana acknowledged the excitement surrounding India-Pakistan matches but stressed that the tournament itself should receive equal recognition.
She pointed out that previous encounters between the two nations, including their meeting at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, attracted strong crowd support. However, she believes the Women’s T20 World Cup deserves broader attention beyond a single fixture.
Mandhana expressed confidence that fans would turn out in large numbers and hoped the Indian team could deliver memorable performances throughout the competition.
The rivalry has largely been one-sided in the shortest format. India and Pakistan have met 16 times in Women’s T20 Internationals, with India winning 13 matches and Pakistan securing three victories.
Their most recent T20 World Cup meeting came in 2024, when India registered a comfortable six-wicket win.
The upcoming World Cup will also be significant for Mandhana personally. One of India’s most experienced batters, she will play a crucial role in the team's hopes of making a deep run in the tournament.
So far, Mandhana has scored 524 runs in 25 Women’s T20 World Cup innings. While her record includes several important contributions, she will be aiming to improve her average and add more match-winning performances on the global stage.
With India entering the tournament as one of the strong contenders, Mandhana’s form at the top of the order could be a decisive factor in determining how far the team progresses in the competition.
