News

Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 warm-up: Fulmali, Patil headline India’s comfortable win

418042.6

Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 Warm-Up: India Beats West Indies

India warmed up for the 2026 T20 World Cup in style with a 26-run win against West Indies in Cardiff. Bharti Fulmali scored an unbeaten 56, while Shreyanka Patil picked up four wickets and Radha Yadav returned 3 for 25.

Smriti Mandhana (39), Yastika Bhatia (36), and Shafali Verma (29) also made important contributions. Sent in, Shafali and Mandhana – captaining in place of Harmanpreet Kaur – added 59 runs for the opening wicket in 5.2 overs before the latter fell to Aaliyah Alleyne.

India’s Batting Performance

Shafali hit five fours in her 13-ball 29 but fell to offspinner Karishma Ramharack in the seventh over. Jemimah Rodrigues became the first of legspinner Afy Fletcher’s four victims as India slipped to 85 for 3 in eight overs.

Bhatia and Fulmali, however, added 60 runs in seven overs as India raced towards 150. Bhatia struck six fours during her innings, while Fulmali hit six fours and a six as India racked up 179 for 8. For West Indies, Fletcher was easily the pick of the bowlers, returning 4 for 23.

West Indies’ Chase

West Indies began their chase well with Deandra Dottin and Shemaine Campbelle adding 63 runs in nine overs. But once Campbelle retired out for 25, Patil and Radha took over. Patil got rid of Qiana Joseph, Jahzara Claxton, Jannillea Glasgow, and Zaida James while Bhatia picked up Dottin, Alleyne, and Chinelle Henry.

Dottin top-scored for West Indies with 49 off 44, who were restricted to 153 for 8 after 20 overs. The win marks a confident start for India in the 2026 T20 World Cup warm-up matches.

  • India’s score: 179 for 8
  • West Indies’ score: 153 for 8
  • Result: India won by 26 runs
READ:  Rachin Ravindra Departs KKR to Prepare for New Zealand's England Test Tour

The Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 warm-up: Fulmali, Patil headline India’s comfortable win is a significant boost for the team ahead of the tournament.

Priya Kapoor

Priya Kapoor is a leading voice in Indian cricket journalism, known for blending deep tactical insight with compelling storytelling. A graduate of Lady Shri Ram College and the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, she started her career covering domestic cricket before rising to become a senior correspondent at Cricbuzz. Priya has reported from ICC events, IPL seasons, and bilateral series, with a special focus on women's cricket and the intersection of data analytics and performance. Her work has been recognized with the Ramnath Goenka Award and a RedInk Award for feature writing. Whether breaking down Kohli’s cover drive or profiling the next U-19 star, Priya brings clarity, empathy, and unflinching accuracy to every piece. She also mentors young journalists and advocates for greater representation of women in sports media.