IND-W vs BAN-W: India Women will face Bangladesh Women in a highly anticipated Group A encounter of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 today at Emirates Old Trafford in Manchester. Following a tough 6-wicket loss against South Africa on this very ground, Harmanpreet Kaur’s side finds itself in a absolute must-win scenario to keep their semi-final qualification hopes alive. Meanwhile, Bangladesh Women have already collected two solid wins in the tournament and will be looking to pull off a historic upset.
Match Details
- Match: India Women (IND-W) vs Bangladesh Women (BAN-W), Match 23, Group A
- Series: ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026
- Date: Today
- Time: 2:30 PM LOCAL | 1:30 PM GMT | 7:00 PM IST
- Venue: Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester
- Broadcast/Streaming: Star Sports Network & JioHotstar (India)
Match Preview
India Women Analysis
Team India’s batting power was on display early against South Africa, racking up 59 runs in the powerplay courtesy of aggressive starts from Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma. However, their middle-order stuttered, leaving them with a total of 158/7. Defensively, costly dropped catches allowed Marizanne Kapp to take the game away. Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur—who recently marked a historic 200th T20I appearance—will demand clinical execution from her fielding unit. Expect key all-rounder Deepti Sharma and spin maestro Radha Yadav to play critical roles in the middle overs to choke the scoring.
Bangladesh Women Analysis
Nigar Sultana’s Bangladesh side comes into this contest with quiet confidence. Their bowling unit has been their biggest strength, highlighted by Shorna Akter’s match-winning performances earlier in the tournament against Pakistan. While their slow bowlers, including Nahida Akter and Rabeya Khan, can squeeze heavy run flows, Bangladesh’s primary area of concern is their top-order consistency. To challenge a wounded Indian side, batters like Sobhana Mostary and Dilara Akter must step up and handle India’s powerplay threat.
Pitch & Weather Report
Pitch Report (Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester)
The track at Emirates Old Trafford generally offers good bounce and carry for the seamers early on, but it transitions into a very reliable batting surface as observed during the India-South Africa game where nearly 320 runs were scored.
- Spin & Toss Factor: Spinners will extract turn from the rough areas in the second innings. Winning the toss and opting to bat first to clear the pressure of a scoreboard chase in a high-stakes World Cup match might be the preferred route.
Weather Report
The weather forecast for Manchester today indicates a standard English summer afternoon with intervals of clouds and sunshine. The temperature will hover around 18°C. Fortunately, there is a very minimal chance of rain, promising a full, uninterrupted 20-over contest.
Probable Playing XIs
India Women
Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Yastika Bhatia, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (wk), Deepti Sharma, Arundhati Reddy, Radha Yadav, Shree Charani, Renuka Singh Thakur.
Bangladesh Women
Dilara Akter, Sharmin Akhter, Sobhana Mostary, Nigar Sultana (c/wk), Ritu Moni, Shorna Akter, Rabeya Khan, Nahida Akter, Shanjida Akter Meghla, Marufa Akter, Fahima Khatun.
IND-W vs BAN-W Dream11 Fantasy Picks
- Top Captaincy Picks:
- Smriti Mandhana (IND-W): Showed great touch in the previous match. Her ability to take apart the bowling in the powerplay makes her an essential pick.
- Deepti Sharma (IND-W): A world-class utility player who will bowl her full quota of overs and chip in with crucial runs down the order.
- Top Vice-Captaincy Picks:
- Shorna Akter (BAN-W): The golden arm for Bangladesh in this World Cup. She provides valuable lower-order acceleration and consistently picks up breakthroughs.
- Shafali Verma (IND-W): High-risk, high-reward pick who can completely switch the game’s momentum within the first six overs.
Suggested Dream11 Team (Head-to-Head & Small Leagues)
- Wicketkeeper: Nigar Sultana, Richa Ghosh
- Batters: Smriti Mandhana (C), Shafali Verma, Sobhana Mostary
- All-rounders: Deepti Sharma (VC), Shorna Akter, Harmanpreet Kaur
- Bowlers: Radha Yadav, Renuka Singh Thakur, Nahida Akter
Match Prediction
While Bangladesh has the spin bowling armor to cause some friction, India Women enter the match as strong favorites (96.6% win probability). Driven by the pressure of a must-win situation, India’s deep batting lineup and superior experience in global tournaments should see them through.
