Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma let loose as India defeated the Netherlands by 95 runs in the Women’s T20 World Cup on Wednesday.
India’s commanding total of 209-5 in Leeds was made possible by Mandhana and Verma’s 115-run stand for the first wicket. Mandhana top scored with 74 from 47 balls, smashing 11 fours and one six, while Verma smashed 10 fours in her innings of 55.
The Netherlands had little chance of a successful run chase after India’s run rampage. Babette de Leede, the captain of the Netherlands, was their top scorer with 28, but Verma took three wickets after her impressive batting performance.
With four wickets from her four overs, Sree Charani completed India’s lopsided victory. After defeating bitter rivals Pakistan in their opening match, India have won their first two tournament games in England.
Australia easily defeated Bangladesh by nine wickets at Headingley, thanks in large part to Georgia Voll. With more than ten overs remaining, Voll led the Australians to their target of 78 for the cost of one wicket by hitting six fours and one six in her undefeated 45 off 32 balls.
Sophie Molineux, Kim Garth, and Ellyse Perry each claimed two wickets as Bangladesh managed just 77-8 from their 20 overs.
Australia defeated South Africa by 65 runs on Saturday to begin the competition with two straight victories. In their first game, Bangladesh had defeated the Netherlands.
Due to a calf injury, England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt will miss their next two games. In Tuesday’s four-wicket victory over Ireland in Southampton, Sciver-Brunt, who had just recovered from a ruptured calf muscle, was forced to retire on 48.
The 33-year-old will not play against Scotland or the West Indies after scans on Wednesday indicated a calf muscle problem.
