India beat Pakistan in the opening match of the World Cup (Jacob King/PA via AP)
Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin made a bold prediction about India’s chances in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 despite their convincing win over Pakistan in the opening match of the tournament.India defeated Pakistan by 64 runs in their opening Group A match at Edgbaston, Birmingham. Opting to bat first, the Women in Blue recovered from early setbacks to record a contest of 170/6. In reply, a clinical display from India’s spin attack saw Pakistan bowled out for just 106 in 17 overs.However, Ashwin believes India may struggle against stronger opponents later in the tournament, especially strong sides like Australia and England.“I’m not sure India will go very far in the T20 World Cup as there is a lack of power in the line-up. While India were excellent against Pakistan and their spin attack once again proved crucial, the team still lacks the depth that teams like England and Australia have. India’s combination looks a bit short on power batting options, which can become a concern in tougher matches against stronger opponents.”
“Compared to the strong squads of England and Australia, India’s overall squad depth remains a major concern,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel, Ash Ki Baat.
After losing Shafali Verma and Jemima Rodrigues inside the Powerplay, vice-captain Smriti Mandhana stabilized the innings along with captain Harmanpreet Kaur. The duo forged a crucial 91-run partnership to put India back in control. Mandhana hit nine sixes in a stylish 68 off 44 deliveries.Wicketkeeper-batter Richa Ghosh provided the perfect finishing touch to the innings. She smashed 23 runs in the 19th over on Rabab’s nomenclature and remained unbeaten with 34 off just 17 balls, helping India reach a total of 170/6.Indian spinners dominatePakistan started their chase on a positive note, with Muniba Ali scoring 41 runs and leading her team to a steady Powerplay match. However, the Indian spinners completely dominated the middle overs. Shri Sharani, who made his World Cup debut, impressed with figures of 3/21, while nine of Pakistan’s ten wickets fell to spin. The star of the match was Deepti Sharma, who produced the best figures of his career with 5/10. She played a key role in Pakistan’s collapse, including a brilliant direct hit by Muniba Ali, before wrapping up the innings with three wickets in her final over.