Daijiworld Media Network - Cardiff

Cardiff, Jun 8: A composed unbeaten half-century from Bharti Fulmalli and a match-winning spell from spinners Radha Yadav and Shreyanka Patil guided India to a comfortable 26-run victory over the West Indies in their opening warm-up fixture ahead of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 in Cardiff on Monday.

Building on the momentum from their recent world title triumph, the Indian side delivered an all-round performance, posting a challenging total of 179/8 before restricting the West Indies to 153/8 in their allotted 20 overs.

After being asked to bat first, India made an aggressive start through openers Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma. The pair added 59 runs for the opening wicket, with Mandhana leading the charge through a fluent 39-run knock that included eight boundaries.

India raced to 70/1 by the end of the powerplay, but a brief middle-order collapse slowed the scoring rate as wickets fell in quick succession.

The innings was steadied by Fulmalli, who anchored the latter stages with a mature unbeaten 56 off 40 deliveries. She found valuable support from Yastika Bhatia, with the duo combining for a crucial 60-run partnership that restored momentum to the innings.

Bhatia contributed 26 runs before retiring out as part of India's strategy to give additional batters time in the middle. Fulmalli continued to accelerate towards the end, striking six boundaries and a six to propel India to a competitive total.

For the West Indies, Afy Fletcher emerged as the standout bowler, finishing with impressive figures of 4 for 23 from her four overs.

Chasing 180, the West Indies began cautiously through Deandra Dottin and Shemaine Campbelle, who shared a 63-run opening stand. However, the partnership progressed at a measured pace, with the Caribbean side managing only 37 runs during the powerplay and falling behind the required run rate.

The contest shifted decisively after Campbelle's dismissal. India's spin attack tightened its grip on the match, triggering a collapse that reduced the West Indies from a promising position to 103/6.

Shreyanka Patil was the chief destroyer, claiming four wickets for 36 runs, while Radha Yadav provided excellent support with three wickets for 25 runs. Both spinners exploited the turning surface effectively and consistently troubled the opposition batters.

Dottin fought hard to keep the chase alive with a determined 49-ball 41 but fell just one run short of a half-century. Although Aliyah Alleyne and Shawnisha Hector attempted a late counterattack, the target ultimately remained beyond reach.

The convincing victory provided India with an ideal start to their T20 World Cup preparations, showcasing both batting depth and a potent spin attack ahead of the tournament.

Brief Scores:

India Women: 179/8 in 20 overs
(Bharti Fulmalli 56*, Smriti Mandhana 39; Afy Fletcher 4/23)
West Indies Women: 153/8 in 20 overs
(Deandra Dottin 41, Shemaine Campbelle 25; Shreyanka Patil 4/36, Radha Yadav 3/25)
Result: India Women won by 26 runs.