Bharti Fulmalli's unbeaten 56 off 40 balls and a combined seven-wicket haul from spinners Radha Yadav and Shreyanka Patil steered India to a commanding 26-run victory over West Indies in their opening warm-up match of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 at Cardiff on Monday, 8 June. India posted 179/8 before restricting the Caribbean side to 153/8 in their 20 overs.

India's Innings: Fulmalli Anchors a Strong Total

Invited to bat, openers Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma set the tone with a brisk 59-run stand, with Mandhana contributing a fluent 39 off 39 balls, laced with 8 boundaries. India raced to 70/1 at the end of the powerplay before Mandhana's departure triggered a brief wobble — three wickets fell in quick succession in the middle overs.

Fulmalli steadied the innings alongside Yastika Bhatia, the pair adding a crucial 60-run fourth-wicket stand. Bhatia retired out for 26 off 36 balls as a tactical move to expose the middle order to game-time conditions. Fulmalli remained unbeaten through the turbulence, finishing with 6 fours and a six in a composed, powerful knock that guided India to a competitive total.

For West Indies, Afy Fletcher was the standout performer with the ball, returning figures of 4/23 from her four overs — the only bowler to trouble the Indian batting line-up consistently.

West Indies Chase Derailed by India's Spinners

Deandra Dottin and Shemaine Campbelle gave West Indies a promising start, constructing a 63-run opening partnership. However, the pair managed only 37 runs in the powerplay, leaving the required rate mounting. The dismissal of Campbelle proved the turning point, triggering a dramatic middle-order collapse that reduced West Indies to 103/6.

Shreyanka claimed the bowling honours with a sharp 4/36, while Radha was equally destructive with 3/25, both spinners extracting significant turn from the Cardiff surface. Dottin battled hard for a 49-ball 41, falling one run short of a half-century, and though Alleyne and Shawnisha Hector offered brief resistance late in the innings, West Indies never seriously threatened India's total.

Context: India Arrive on the Back of World Cup Glory

This warm-up win carries added significance given India's momentum. The side arrives in Cardiff fresh from their historic ICC Women's Cricket World Cup triumph earlier in 2026 — a title that ended a long wait and elevated expectations heading into the T20 edition. A complete team performance in the warm-up, with contributions across batting and bowling departments, suggests the squad is in strong shape ahead of the tournament proper.

Notably, the spin combination of Radha and Shreyanka — who shared seven wickets between them — will be a key weapon if pitches across the tournament offer similar assistance. India's next assignment will be closely watched as they fine-tune combinations before the main draw begins.

Brief Scores

India Women 179/8 in 20 overs (Bharti Fulmalli 56*, Smriti Mandhana 39; Afy Fletcher 4/23, Aliyah Alleyne 1/17) beat West Indies Women 153/8 in 20 overs (Deandra Dottin 49, Shemaine Campbelle 25; Shreyanka Patil 4/36, Radha Yadav 3/25) by 26 runs.