Shafali Verma (Photo ICC)
Shafali Verma produced a player-of-the-match performance as India beat Bangladesh by five wickets to boost their ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 semi-final hopes.
Verma hit a 29-ball half-century as India chased down 137 to win, while Radha Yadav earlier took three wickets.
Bangladesh fell short of setting a high total at Old Trafford, as Juairiya Ferdous top-scored with 33 in the Tigresses’ 136 for eight.
The result leaves India second in Group A with three wins from four matches ahead of a mouth-watering clash with leaders Australia, while Bangladesh are fourth with two wins and two defeats.
Bangladesh won the toss and chose to make India field first for the first time this tournament, but they were quickly on the back foot.
Renuka Singh Thakur took her first wicket of the tournament in the second over, with Dilara Akter caught in the deep by Sree Charani.
Opener Juairiya Ferdous was dropped three times, and India were made to pay, as she and Sobhana Mostary built a 51-run partnership.
Juairiya was eventually out for 33 from 31 balls to a Nandni Sharma caught and bowled, before Sobhana, who was also dropped by Sharma, was out for 22 as Deepti Sharma held on to a catch off Yadav (three for 28).
The Tigresses built partnerships but struggled to accelerate the run rate as captain Nigar Sultana departed for 32 from 27, leaving Bangladesh 106 for four in the 17th over.
India then took four quick wickets to reduce Bangladesh to 136 for eight, with Charani (2/21) picking up two wickets in the final over.
With the race for the semi-finals heating up, India aimed to boost their net run rate and made an emphatic start to the chase.
Verma was dropped inside the opening over and used it as a motivator by crunching a 29-ball half-century, featuring eight fours.
In the middle of that, Smriti Mandhana was dismissed for eight as Rabeya Khan held on to a tough catch off the bowling of Marufa Akter.
Verma was next to go, stumped by Nigar off the bowling of Nahida Akter, having moved India into the ascendancy with 53 from 34 balls.
India reached the halfway stage of the innings at 85 for two, leaving the required run rate below a run a ball, and with Yastika Bhatia well-set, having also been dropped by Rabeya on 14.
Richa Ghosh, promoted up the order to get the job done, was reprieved on an LBW call while on nine, but Bhatia (23) fell shortly to Ritu Moni, who then pulled out a dancing celebration.
Ghosh was next to go, this time not surviving the LBW review, as India slipped to 98 for four, needing 39 from 46.
Bangladesh put on the squeeze, with three overs in a row going for four runs or fewer, but Jemimah Rodrigues (26) and captain Harmanpreet Kaur (13 not out) saw them over the line with 19 balls to spare.
Brits century sees South Africa keep pressure on India and Australia
Tazmin Brits hit her first T20I century as South Africa beat the Netherlands by 88 runs to join India on six points in the Group A semi-final race.
Brits put on a 121-run opening stand with Laura Wolvaardt before powering to her maiden hundred as South Africa set the Netherlands 209 to win.
The Dutch put up a fight, with Phebe Molkenboer anchoring the chase as she made 41, but could not stop a crucial big win for the Proteas who sit behind India on net run rate with Bangladesh left to play.
The Netherlands chose to put the unchanged South Africa into bat as Tazmin Brits opened up with Laura Wolvaardt, who was going through a dry spell by her lofty standards.
Having made 72 runs from three games in the tournament, she and Brits put on a 121-run stand for the first wicket.
The Netherlands had their chances, as Frederique Overdijk dropped Brits for 46 off the bowling of Caroline de Lange.
The spinner’s over, the ninth of the innings, went for just two runs, the only one to go for less than a run a ball, as the team in fiery orange toiled in the heat.
Brits’ fifty came up off 36 balls, adding to the 40 runs she made against India following her return to the team.
The opener continued to motor until both she and Wolvaardt were almost run out with Brits ball watching.
The Netherlands eventually got the wicket they craved as Wolvaardt fell five runs short of her first half-century of the tournament as she was caught behind by Babette de Leede off the bowling of Hannah Landheer.
Brits’ new batting partner Annerie Dercksen understood her assignment perfectly, feeding Brits the strike as she pushed South Africa past 150.
Then came her first century in T20 internationals, bringing it up with a huge six as she reached the feat off 63 balls.
She and Dercksen then accelerated even further as the tournament passed 77 sixes, a new record, with Dercksen crashing 37 not out off 16, as Brits ended on 114 not out from 69. South Africa 208 for one.
Chasing a world record 209, Phebe Molkenboer looked unnerved, taking the great Shabnim Ismail for three fours in a row off the pacer’s first over.
Marizanne Kapp, chasing her 100th T20I wicket, saw an opportunity for a century of her own go begging as Chloe Tryon dropped Sanya Khurana, opening for the first time, in the slips on three.
Khurana then hit Ayabonga Khaka for three boundaries in an over as the Dutch showed courageous fight.
The same thing happened again to end the powerplay, with Ismail as Khurana’s next victim as the Netherlands reached the end of the sixth over at 50 without loss.
Ismail had the last laugh as she took the catch to dismiss Khurana for 36 from 22 balls as Tryon got her 50thwicket in T20Is.
Sterre Kalis then took on the majority of the scoring as the run rate slowed, even as South Africa were unable to break the partnerships easily.
Kalis (26) had to go after a great diving catch by Sinalo Jafta off the bowling of Ismail as the Netherlands moved to 100 for two.
Molkenboer eventually departed for a run-a-ball 41, run out by Dane van Niekerk, before Robine Rijke went three balls later for one as the Netherlands stuttered.
Khaka picked up three wickets in the final over as the Dutch resistance finally gave way as they ended 89 runs short.
Scores in brief
South Africa v Netherlands – Bristol County Ground, Bristol
South Africa: 208/1 in 20 overs (Tazmin Brits 114 not out, Laura Wolvaardt 45; Hannah Landheer 1/34)
Netherlands: 120/8 in 20 overs (Phebe Molkenboer 41, Sanya Khurana 36; Ayabonga Khaka 3/19, Chloe Tryon 2/16)
Result: South Africa win by 88 runs
India v Bangladesh – Old Trafford Cricket Ground, Manchester
Bangladesh: 136/8 in 20 overs (Juairiya Ferdous 33, Nigar Sultana 32; Radha Yadav 3/28, Sree Charani 2/21)
India: 139/5 in 16.5 overs (Shafali Verma 53, Jemimah Rodrigues 26; Ritu Moni 2/29, Rabeya Khan 1/19)
Result: India win by five wickets
