India Women defeated Netherlands Women by 95 runs in their ICC Women’s T20 World Cup clash at Headingley, with Shafali Verma starring with both bat and ball as she struck her first T20 World Cup half-century.
After posting 209/5 — their highest total in Women’s T20 World Cup history — India dismissed the Netherlands for 114 to secure a second successive victory and move above Australia to the top of Group 1 on net run rate. The Netherlands remain without a win in the tournament.
Mandhana and Shafali lay the perfect platform
India’s innings was built around a commanding opening partnership worth 115 runs between Shafali and Smriti Mandhana.
The pair rarely appeared reckless despite scoring at nearly ten runs an over. They relied largely on controlled strokeplay and smart placement, while also benefiting from a Netherlands bowling performance that lacked consistency. The Dutch attack conceded 16 extras, including a difficult over from Myrthe van den Raad that stretched to 12 deliveries and yielded seven runs in wides and extras alone.
As the innings progressed, Shafali began to accelerate by targeting the boundary more regularly. She reached her first T20 World Cup fifty from 34 deliveries, six years after making her debut in the tournament. Her innings ended shortly afterwards when she mistimed a pull off Heather Siegers and was caught at long-on in the 12th over.
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Mandhana continued her fluent innings and eventually top-scored with 74 from 47 balls, helping India maintain control throughout the middle overs.
Dropped chances prove costly for Netherlands
The Netherlands briefly fought back by removing Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues in quick succession. Mandhana fell to Caroline de Lange at the end of the 16th over before van den Raad dismissed Rodrigues at the start of the next over.
At 162/3, India still had work to do, but the Netherlands missed several opportunities that allowed the innings to gather momentum again.
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Shafali had already survived a dropped chance earlier in the innings when she reached her fifty. Later, Richa Ghosh was given a life when Phebe Molkenboer failed to hold a catch at extra cover. The same delivery also presented a run-out opportunity at the non-striker’s end, but the Dutch side failed to capitalise.
Further chances went down as Silver Siegers dropped Ghosh in the 18th over, with the ball slipping through her hands and racing away for four. Harmanpreet Kaur was also put down in the final over by Robine Rijke.
Ghosh punished those mistakes with an unbeaten 20 from just eight deliveries as India scored 41 runs from the final three overs to push their total beyond 200.
India’s spinners tighten their grip
The Netherlands approached the chase positively despite the imposing target. Heather Siegers struck four boundaries during her 21 from 16 balls and showed intent from the outset. Phebe Molkenboer also played several attractive drives but struggled to consistently beat India’s packed field on the off side.
The pitch became slower and lower during the second innings, conditions that suited India’s spinners perfectly. Molkenboer was eventually dismissed for 15 from 20 deliveries in the eighth over as the Netherlands hovered around a run-a-ball.
India did suffer a setback in the field when Shreyanka Patil injured her right ankle while attempting to stop a drive from Molkenboer in the sixth over. The spinner twisted her ankle during the chase and had to be stretchered from the field, taking no further part in the match.
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Dutch resistance fades late
Despite the required rate climbing rapidly, the Netherlands continued to attack. Captain Babette de Leede was stumped well outside her crease attempting to take on Nandani Sharma, while Sterre Kalis was bowled by Shafali after misjudging a slower delivery.
As the chase progressed, wickets continued to fall. Frederique Overdijk was caught at long-on against Shree Charani, while Robine Rijke and Iris Zwilling both fell attempting expansive sweep shots, helping Charani complete an impressive four-wicket haul.
The innings ended in dramatic fashion as the Netherlands lost their final five wickets for just one run in nine deliveries. Fittingly, Shafali claimed the final wicket when Isabel van der Woning tried to clear the infield, only for Jemimah Rodrigues to complete a catch running in from long-on.
With Shafali excelling in both disciplines and India delivering another comprehensive team performance, the tournament hosts moved to the top of the group with growing confidence.
Brief Scores: India 209/5 (Smriti Mandhana 74, Shafali Verma 55, Caroline de Lange 2-32) beat Netherlands 114 (Babette de Leede 28, Shree Charani 4-19, Shafali Verma 3-20) by 95 runs.
