India Women thrash Thailand but batting shows nothing has changed in T20Is
India opened their Women’s Asia Cup campaign with a 94-run win over Thailand, but the difference should not be overshadowed by an unacceptable collapse with the bat.
Shafali Verma’s 64 off 36 balls put India in a strong position before the innings fell apart. India finished at 159 for nine, losing eight wickets for 46 runs. The bowling attack then ensured there was no penalty for the collapse, completing a dominant win.
However, this was not an isolated failure of the bat. India have repeatedly produced strong starts in T20 cricket before struggling to expose the middle order. The same concerns were visible before and during the Women’s T20 World Cup 2026, and now she has reappeared against Thailand.
For a team that wants to be world class and keep beating Australia and other elite teams, this cannot remain acceptable. Openers can’t build platforms just for the middle order to waste. India needs answers, not another comfortable victory that hides the problem.
INDIA MISSED A HUGE OPPORTUNITY
Shafali Verma was the only bright spot in the Indian innings. Courtesy: ICC/Getty Images
Smriti Mandhana made 19 off 10, debutant Pratika Rawal scored 22 off 18 and Shafali provided the impetus with eight fours and three sixes.
India were set for a much bigger total but the middle order failed to build the partnerships needed to sustain the scoring rate.
The legendary Mithali Raj summed up the problem.
“I think India’s pattern is that, you know, after a good opening partnership, it’s very important to have a middle-order partnership as well. If you want to set a target of 200 and over, you need a middle-order partnership. You saw above that India lost two wickets in the first 10 overs but were around 100 runs. But in the last 50 10 it was over 500. 60 runs and they lost seven wickets,” Mithali told broadcasters at the innings break.
“So I think that was the problem, even in the World Cup, where the openers give us a good start. In the middle order, we have batsmen who can do it really well, but somehow we are not able to have those partnerships to win,” Mithali said.
The criticism is damning because India has already done the hard part. They simply couldn’t finish the job with the bat.
HARMANPREET’S DISMISSAL WAS ANOTHER RED FLAG
Harmanpreet Kaur fell cheaply against Thailand in the Asia Cup. Courtesy: ICC/Getty Images
Harmanpreet Kaur needed to provide stability. Instead, she attempted a sweep against Thipatcha Putthawong, headed for point and departed for five off nine balls.
It was a poor shot at a time when India needed experience. Former batsman Anjum Chopra was equally critical of India’s approach.
“I think the Indian team should be more concerned about it than we are because at the end of the day they are playing. They are the ones flying the Indian flag and the spectators have come there to watch good cricket. We may have discussed the same thing earlier about how the Indian team should or should try to score,” Anjum said.
“That average was 12 in the first three overs, but after that there was just a drop in the run-rate. So I don’t think the preparation was ideal or the delivery was ideal. There is a very big gap. Otherwise, you scored 80 runs in 10 overs and lost just one wicket, and then you scored 46 runs from 51 balls and went on to lose in 51 balls. Mandhana was out,” said Anjum.
“At that point I understand that the bowling was very good. Harmanpreet Kaur can best explain the kind of stroke she played. I didn’t feel anyone took responsibility, whether it was Deepti Sharma’s run out, Richa Ghosh who got that way or Bharati Fulmali who got after the set-up,” added Anjum.
Harmanpreet’s dismissal was a particularly frustrating example of the lack of control Anjum highlighted.
INDIA WAS FOREWARNED
India have struggled with the bat in the Women’s T20 World Cup. Courtesy: ICC/Getty Images
Worryingly, India has shown this weakness repeatedly before coming to the Asia Cup.
In the first T20I of their five-match series against South Africa in April, India reached 119 for two in the 15th over before managing just 33 runs in the last five overs for the loss of four wickets. They finished on 157 for seven and lost the match by six wickets.
Then came the World Cup.
Against South Africa, India once again failed to finish strongly. They were 119 for two in the 15th over, but then managed just 39 runs to finish at 158 for seven. South Africa were chasing the target with five balls to spare.
Even Bangladesh revealed some of the same weaknesses. India ended up chasing 137 in 16.5 overs, but the five-wicket victory was far from convincing. Bangladesh kept India under pressure after the first wickets and India needed Shafali Verma’s 53 off 34 and a late partnership to get over the line.
And this problem was not limited to South Africa.
In the second T20I against England before the FIFA World Cup, India were restricted to 142 for nine while chasing 169. After losing wickets in the innings, they never gained the momentum needed for the chase and lost by 26 runs.
The first England T20I showed what India are capable of when the bat clicks. Yastika Bhatia made 54 and Jemimah Rodrigues 69 from 188 for seven. But the next match revealed an inconsistency that became a bigger problem.
That’s not one bad inning. It’s a pattern.
BOWLERS CONTINUE TO SAVE THE DAY
Deepti Sharma became the leading wicket-taker in Women’s T20Is. Courtesy: BCCI Women
The Indian bowlers were ruthless once Thailand started their chase.
Deepti Sharma produced outstanding figures of 3/0 on her 150th T20I, while Nandani Sharma and Shree Charani also made significant contributions. 41 Nannapat Koncharoenkai was Thailand’s only significant resistance.
Deepti’s spell took her to 171 wickets in Women’s T20Is, making her the leading wicket-taker in the format.
It was an exceptional response from the Indian attack and the reason for the batting failure did not matter.
But Indian bowlers cannot remain an insurance policy for a middle-order that repeatedly loses direction.
INDIA MUST DEMAND MORE
India need to be better in their batting department if they are to improve as a T20I team. Courtesy: ICC/Getty Images
India got the result they wanted but the batting should leave them unsatisfied.
Thailand could not punish India’s mistakes due to lack of experience. Australia and other elite teams can.
This is why India must take this collapse as a warning rather than shrug it off after a massive victory. The problem has cropped up against South Africa, England and even Bangladesh and has now followed India into the Asia Cup.
A world-class T20 side cannot waste strong positions repeatedly.
India have explosive openers and a formidable bowling attack. What they need in between is much more important now: partnerships, composure and batsmen willing to take charge when the momentum changes.
Until India fix this, they will continue to rack up impressive wins without developing the consistency needed to beat the world’s best teams regularly.
– The end
Issued by:
sabyasachi chowdhury
Published on:
2nd September 2026, 7:00 AM IST