India’s vice-captain, Smriti Mandhana, acknowledged skipper Harmanpreet Kaur for propelling the team to a competitive total of 170/4 against Australia in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 Group stage match at Lord’s Cricket Ground. After a solid start by Mandhana and Shafali Verma, Harmanpreet’s quickfire 56 runs off 26 balls, including three consecutive sixes in the final over, boosted India’s score in a crucial game.
Mandhana commended Harmanpreet for her late surge, stating that it helped India achieve the target they had set at the beginning of the match. She highlighted the challenging batting conditions at Lord’s but believed that India’s total was competitive despite the pitch difficulties. Mandhana emphasized that reaching 170 was significant, especially with the conditions not favoring the pace bowlers initially.
In the match, Mandhana and Shafali Verma laid a strong foundation with a 66-run opening partnership. While Shafali contributed 34 runs, Mandhana scored 38 runs off 37 balls before being run out due to a miscommunication with Jemimah Rodrigues. Mandhana brushed off the dismissal incident, acknowledging it as a part of the game and swiftly moved on.
Looking ahead, India aims to defend their total of 170 to secure a spot in the semi-finals, while Australia, already in the knockout stage, requires 171 runs for their fifth consecutive victory in the tournament.
