In the day’s second game of the day and at Leeds, Headingley the Women in Blue are in action as India lock horns with debutants Netherlands. India who are a strong side will look to keep the winning momentum going while for the Dutch it’s all about learning from each outing and getting better at the work. India won their first game while the Dutch impressed one and all, but lost narrowly to Bangladesh.
India under Harmanpreet Kaur brushed aside arch-rivals Pakistan in Edgbaston while Netherlands skipper Babette de Leede played well but still her side came up short against an experienced Bangladesh side. On paper, this may look like a mismatch, but one cannot take things for granted in the shortest format of the game.
Overview.Â
We are all set for one of the tournament favourites to take centre stage as India will look to strengthen theri push for a semi-final berth when they take on the minnows, Netherlands in a Group A clash of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 at Headingley, Leeds. India entered the tournament as one of the leading contenders for the title and possess one of the most formidable squads in the competition. The side arrives in this competition with superb confidence after they registered a massive win against their arch-rivals Pakistan in front of a sellout crowd at Edgbaston.
Batting first, India scored 170/6 on the back of a fine 60-odd from opener Smriti Mandhana. She and skipper Harmanpreet Kaur stitched a 91-run stand for the third wicket after India lost Shafali Verma and Jemimah Rodrigues early in the innings. Keeper-batter Richa Ghosh scored a quickfire 34 off 17 balls in the death overs and helped her side touch the 170-run mark.
In reply, Pakistan had a relatively better opening stand than India, But then, after four overs, the magic of spinner Deepti Sharma kickstarted. She and her spin partner, Shree Charani, picked up wickets at regular intervals and never allowed Pakistan to recover in the chase. Deepti Sharma took a five-wicket haul and registered the best bowling figures (5/100 by an Indian in WT20Is. The fiver has also propelled Deepti to the top of the all-time WT20I wicket-takers’ chart, overtaking Thailand’s Thipatcha Putthawong (165 scalps). Left-arm spinner Charani took three wickets on her T20 World Cup debut. Their efforts bundled out Pakistan for 106 inside 17 overs. In the end, India registered a massive 64-run victory.
For the Netherlands, every match at the World Cup represents another opportunity to showcase the progress of women’s cricket in the country. Playing their maiden ICC Women’s T20 WC, Netherlands lost to Bangladesh in their first game but not before giving a scare to the Asian side. Batting first, Netherlands scored 139/8 in their 20 overs. The side could have been bundled out for a much lower score had skipper Babette de Leede not counter-attacked and scored a fifty, her 8th W20I career half century.
In reply, Bangladesh were going strong as their opening pair of Juairiya Ferdous and Dilara Akter registered a 67-run stand. But then, Dutch leggie Caroline de Lange picked up two scalps on consecutive balls. Her spin partner Silver Siegers immediately took a wicket too. After that, a run out took place and Bangladesh were reduced to 85/4 in 12 overs. A solid fifth-wicket stand between Sharmin Akhter and Shorna Akter helped Bangladesh escape an embarrassing loss and registered a six-wicket win in the final over. This was Bangladesh’s biggest successful chase in the Women’s T20 WCs.
The Netherlands will likely enter the contest as underdogs, but they have shown on numerous occasions that they are capable of producing disciplined performances against higher-ranked opponents. To challenge India, the Dutch will need a strong start from their top order and an exceptional effort with the ball and in the field. Notably, this will be the first-ever WT20I match between the two nations and the first international meet between the two women’s sides since 2000. Can the Netherlands challenge India? Only time will tell.
Head-To-Head.Â
This will be the first-ever meeting between the two sides.
Pitch & Weather Report.Â
The pitch at Leeds, Headingley is generally a high-scoring venue that offers something for both the batters and bowlers. Fast bowlers can find some movement early on, particularly under cloudy conditions, but once batters settle in, run-scoring becomes much easier. The ground has witnessed several high-scoring matches, with batters often dominating during the middle overs. Teams batting first have traditionally enjoyed greater success here, as the pitch slows down slightly as the match progresses, making chase more difficult.
The weather is expected to be mostly cloudy with temperatures around 22 degrees Celsius. There is a chance of a few light showers during the afternoon, but no heavy rain is forecast. Overall, the weather looks favourable for play, with only a slight risk of brief interruptions from passing showers. The cloud cover should keep conditions comfortable for players and spectators, while humidity levels are expected to remain moderate.
Predicted/Probable Playing XIs of both sides.Â
Here, we will try and predict the probable playing XIs of both sides.
India XI: Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Richa Ghosh (wk), Deepti Sharma, Bharti Fulmali, Shree Charani, Kranti Gaud, Shreyanka Patil, Arundhati Reddy.
Netherlands XI: Sterre Kalis, Sanya Khurana, Heather Siegers, Phebe Molkenboer, Babette de Leede (c & wk), Robine Rijke, Iris Zwilling, Frederique, Overdijk, Caroline de Lange, Silver Siegers, Isabel van der Woning.
Key Players to watch out for in this clash.Â
Smriti Mandhana: India’s best batter Smriti Mandhana was out of form coming into the Pakistan clash and she roared back into form with a crucial 68-run knock to get her mojo back. Now, that she has got her mojo back, her aim will be to continue this rich vein of form and get more batting practise ahead of bigger challenges ahead. Smriti would love to have another successful match.
Deepti Sharma: One of the better all-rounders in world cricket and India’s reliable bowler Deepti Sharma has been a revelation for India. She did well in the ODI World Cup and has started well this tournament. She is a handy batter down the order and then does more than a good job with the ball in hand. She leads the spin attack and she will want to be in good rhythm ahead of the marquee clashes that India has to face after this.
Babette de Leede: The keeper batter and captain of the side, Babette de Leede is the lynchpin of this Netherlands team. She holds the key with the bat in hand down the order. She will want to carry her good form against Bangladesh to this contest against India. If she performs well, the Dutch will have a chance to push India.
Sterre Kalis: One of the experienced campaigners for the Dutch, Sterre Kalis missed out with the bat in hand against Bangladesh. But she will have a point to prove in this clash against India. Kalis batting at the top of the order, will want to give her team a solid start and lay the platform for the Orange Army to score a competitive total and try to push India and ask them questions.
Key Stats and Trivia to watch out for ahead of this clash.Â
- Headingley has hosted only one women’s T20 international till date, which witnessed only two sixes. Moreover, only one Women’s ODI has ever been played at the venue as long back as in 2018.
Predicted/Possible Outcome of the Match.Â
Generally, in T20s, it is tough to predict a winner of a contest. Since the format allows upsets as anyone can beat anyone on the given day. But in this clash, it goes without saying India starts as overwhelming favourites against debutants Netherlands. The Dutch will have to play out of their skins to create a monumental upset. They will aim to create a few flutters to the Indians. But India should come out on top at the end of the contest is what we feel.
Let’s see how the second match of the day in the World Cup and at Headingley goes between the two teams.
Also Read: ICC Women’s T20 WC 2026: Netherlands Looks To Make Impression In Maiden Appearance