In 16 games in the shortest format, India has triumphed 13 times. Of the three losses Pakistan has inflicted in the format, two have come in T20 World Cups.  | Photo Credit: Getty Images

The India vs Pakistan rivalry in the women’s game is a lopsided one.

In 16 games in the shortest format, India has triumphed 13 times. Of the three losses Pakistan has inflicted in the format, two have come in T20 World Cups.

As the arch rivals open their respective campaigns with a high-octane clash in Birmingham, here’s a look at team form for both Asian sides. For the purpose of this assessment, Sportstar has looked at games played in this T20 World Cup cycle for overall team records, with a special focus on the months leading up to the tournament for current form.

ALSO READ | Beth Barrett-Wild: England was not ready to build on 2017 Women’s World Cup win

India (2020 T20WC finalist)

India has played 24 T20is since the last T20 World Cup in the UAE, where it exited the tournament in the group stage. It has won 14 and lost 10.

Run rate: 8.77

Average runs per wicket: 30.05

Highest team score: 221/2 vs Sri Lanka in Thiruvananthapuram (December, 2025)

This T20I cycle for India began with a 2-1 victory over the West Indies at home in December 2024. This was then followed by a nervy 3-2 triumph over England away which saw some of the very best of Shafali Verma with the bat. N Shree Charani, who has cemented her place as a playing XI regular, was adjudged player of the series as well.

Sri Lanka then came visiting in December 2025 for a five-match T20I series which India dominated 5-0. India then flew to Australia to claim a famous 2-1 win Down Under, the first time Australia had been defeated in a series at home in any format since 2017. This was also only the second time India had secured a series victory over Australia—the Women in Blue last beat the Aussies in 2016, when the Mithali Raj-led side clinched a 2-1 win.

This was followed by a 1-4 drubbing at the hands of South Africa away where a lot of India’s structural issues lay exposed. It was compounded by a 1-2 defeat to England away, days ahead of the World Cup in a three-match series where India allowed an unstable England to grab momentum and run away with a series win after a commanding performance in the opening T20I in Chelmsford.

ALSO READ | From Renuka to Deepti, can India solve its bowling puzzles in time?

In this T20I cycle, India has three 200+ totals (against West Indies, Sri Lanka and England) and has crossed the 170 mark in 11 out of its 24 T20Is.

Debutants in this cycle: Nandni Sharma, Kashvee Gautam, N Sree Charani, Kranti Gaud, Anushka Sharma, Vaishnavi Sharma, G. Kamalini, Raghvi Bist, Saima Thakor

Major comeback: Bharti Fulmali (returns to the side after 2019)

Pakistan

Pakistan has played 13 T20Is since the 2024 T20 Woerld Cup in the UAE. It has never made it past the group stage of this tournament and will want to rewrite that dubious record when it takes the field in this iteration of the tournament.

Run rate: 8.62

Average runs per wicket: 25.92

Highest team score: 237/5 vs Zimbabwe in Karachi (May, 2026)

Pakistan played five series in this cycle, starting with a tour of Ireland in August 2025, which Pakistan lost 1-2. The series exposed plenty of pain points for the side, including a worrying dip in form for ace spinner Sadia Iqbal who took just three wickets in three fixtures.

A 1-2 defeat to South Africa followed away. Pakistan’s weak batting hurt the side once more as the Proteas thrived at home with skipper Laura Wolvaardt leading the way. A consolation win came for Pakistan in the third T20I courtesy an all-round showing with bat and bat by Fatima Sana. But this series will be most remembered for Fatima Sana’s heroics in that second T20I where she scored a whirlwind 90 off 41 balls which featured nine fours and seven sixes. The incredible part of that remains that she is slotted lower down the order instead of earning what might look like an obvious promotion up the order.

The positives from that series helped Pakistan register a confidence-boosting 3-0 win over Zimbabwe at home. Fatima Sana once again hogged the headlines by registering the fastest fifty in women’s t20Is (15 balls). The Zimbabwe series was also good for Ayesha Zafar, who registered a 47-ball 102 in the first T20I.

Pakistan then moved to Ireland for a tri-series featuring West Indies and Ireland. This was also a way for the side to get used to fluctuating weather conditions in the region. It was an underwhelming run in the series for the Women in Green, with two losses and two games marred by inclement weather.

In this T20I cycle, Pakistan has two 200+ totals (both coming against Zimbabwe) and has crossed the 170 mark in six out of its 13 T20Is.

Debutants in this cycle: Eyman Fatima, Humna Bilal, Amber Kainat, Saira Jabeen

Published on Jun 14, 2026