India Triumphs Over West Indies in T20 World Cup Warm-Up Match
India's Strong Start in T20 World Cup Preparations
Cardiff [UK], June 8: India kicked off their preparations for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 with an impressive 26-run victory against West Indies during their first warm-up match in Cardiff on Monday.
Building on their recent success at the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025, the Indian squad showcased a dominant all-around performance, making a significant early impression.
With a half-century from Bharti Fulmali, India set a target of 179/8, while Radha Yadav and Shreyanka Patil led the bowling attack, restricting the West Indies to 153/8.
After being put to bat, Indian openers Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma (29) provided a rapid start, establishing a solid foundation for the innings, as noted by the ICC.
In the initial overs, West Indies bowlers struggled to find their rhythm, often straying onto the leg side, which Mandhana capitalized on. The left-handed captain struck eight boundaries, scoring 39 off just 23 deliveries.
Aaliyah Alleyne ended the 59-run opening partnership by having Mandhana mistime a shot to mid-on. India reached 70-1 during the power play but faced a brief setback with three quick wickets falling.
Yastika Bhatia and Bharti Fulmali steadied the innings with a 60-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Bhatia scored a confident 36 off 26 balls before being retired to allow other players more time in the middle.
This decision seemed to disrupt India's momentum, leading to the quick dismissals of Richa Ghosh and Radha Yadav in the following over. Fulmali, however, anchored the innings with a well-crafted unbeaten 56 off 40 balls, featuring six fours and the only six of the match, ensuring India finished strongly.
Afy Fletcher was the standout bowler for West Indies, taking 4 wickets for 23 runs in her four overs.
While the West Indies tried out nine bowlers, India relied primarily on their main bowlers to secure a winning start in the warm-ups. The Caribbean team struggled against the slower bowlers, with Patil (4/36) and Yadav (3/25) claiming all the wickets, as Shemaine Campbelle was also retired out.
In pursuit of a challenging total, Deandra Dottin and Campbelle formed an opening partnership of 63 runs. However, they only managed 37 runs during the power play, leaving them to chase the game.
Similar to India's innings, Campbelle's dismissal triggered a collapse, and West Indies found themselves at 103/6. Dottin narrowly missed a half-century, scoring 49 off 41 balls. Despite some late fireworks from Aaliyah Alleyne and Shawnisha Hector, West Indies fell short of the target set by India.