Top 5 highest totals by India in Women’s T20Is ft. IND-W vs UAE-W
India Women created history by registering their highest-ever total in T20Is when they faced the United Arab Emirates Women in the 5th match of the Women’s Asia Cup T20 2024 on Sunday, July 21, at Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium.
After being asked to bat first, India lost Smriti Mandhana (13) and Dayalan Hemalatha (2) early, but Shafali Verma played a decent innings with 37 runs off 18 balls. Harmanpreet Kaur and Richa Ghosh stitched together a 75-run partnership for the fifth wicket as India took control of the match. Captain Kaur reached her 12th fifty in T20I as she scored 66 off 47 balls.
Keeper-batter Richa was brilliant; she remained unbeaten on 64 off 29 balls; she smashed 12 fours and one maximum, including five consecutive boundaries in the last over as the Women in Blue ended their innings at 201/5 after 20 overs. It was the first time that Team India crossed the 200-run mark in T20Is.
In response, the UAE never looked in the game as they fell well short by 78 runs. Deepti Sharma took two wickets as India registered their second win of the tournament.
As Indian women put up a record-breaking performance, in this article, we will look at the five highest totals by India in women’s T20s.
Top 5 highest totals by India in Women’s T20s
#5 185/4 against West Indies Women in 2019
On November 10, 2019, India Women faced West Indies Women in the first game of a five-match T20I series at Daren Sammy Cricket Ground.
The West Indies won the toss and elected to field first, but things didn’t go in their favor as Indian openers Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma stitched together a 143-run opening partnership.
Verma scored 73 off 49 balls, hitting six boundaries and four maximums. Her partner, Mandhana, smashed 67 runs off 46 balls as India scored 185 runs in their 20 overs.
In response, West Indies Women struggled big time as they kept losing wickets at regular intervals. Shemaine Campbelle (33) was the highest scorer for the hosts, as they lost the match by 84 runs. Shikha Pandey, Poonam Yadav and Radha Yadav bagged two wickets each.
#4 187/5 against Australia in 2022
India Women won the toss and chose to field first in the second game of a five-match series against Australia in 2022. Fifties from Beth Mooney (82*) and Tahlia McGrath (70*) helped the Women in Yellow score 187 runs in their allotted 20 overs.
Smriti Mandhana led the way for India; the left-handed batter scored 79 off 49 balls, smashing nine boundaries and four maximums. In the end, Devika Vaidya hit the boundary on the last ball as India ended at 187/5, taking the match into the Super Over.
India Women scored 20 runs in the Super Over and eventually won the game by four runs.
#3 194/5 against New Zealand in 2018
India Women faced New Zealand Women in the first game of the 2018 Women’s T20 World Cup at Providence Stadium. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur won the toss and chose to bat first. India lost their opener early, but Jemimah Rodrigues (59) scored a fifty to bring things back on track for India.
It was captain Kaur who stole the limelight. The right-handed batter smashed her maiden century in the shortest format of the game; she scored 103 runs off 51 balls, hitting seven fours and eight sixes, as the Women in Blue scored 194 runs.
New Zealand opener Suzie Bates (67) fought hard, but it wasn't enough, as the Kiwis lost the match by 34 runs. Dayalan Hemalatha and Poonam Yadav took three wickets each for India.
#2 198/4 against England in 2018
The England Women won the toss and chose to bowl first in the third game against the India Women at Brabourne Stadium. Half-centuries from Mithali Raj (53) and Smriti Mandhana helped the Women in Blue put up 198 runs on the board.
In response, Danni Wyatt smashed a brilliant century; she scored 124 off 64 balls, hitting 15 fours and five maximums, as England won the game by seven wickets with eight balls remaining.
#1 201/5 against United Arab Emirates in 2024
In the fifth game of the Women's Asia Cup 2024, the UAE won the toss and invited India to bat first. Shafali Verma played a quickfire knock of 37 off 18 balls. Later, it was captain Harmanpreet Kaur (66) and Richa Ghosh (64*) who helped India register their highest total in T20Is.
In response, the UAE could only manage to score 123 runs as they lost by 78 runs, handing India their second consecutive win in the 2024 Asia Cup.