Pakistan Suffers Stunning Collapse Against India in Women’s Asia Cup
New Delhi: In a gripping Women’s Asia Cup 2026 match held in Dubai on Saturday, Pakistan faced an unexpected and severe batting collapse against India. They were bowled out for just 55 runs, marking their lowest total ever in T20I cricket.
Choosing to bat first, Pakistan had hoped to put pressure on India. However, their innings quickly fell apart as India’s bowlers executed a brilliant performance. After starting strong at 27 runs without losing a wicket, Pakistan lost six wickets for a mere eight runs, ending their innings in just 18.1 overs.
This dismal score of 55 not only set a new record for Pakistan, surpassing their previous low of 56 runs against New Zealand in Dubai just two years ago, but it also represented the fifth-lowest total India has ever bowled out an opponent for in Women’s T20I history.
Only two Pakistani batters managed to score in double digits: Muneeba Ali contributed 13 runs off 15 balls, while Shawaal Zulfiqar added 14 runs off 14 balls.
India’s Bowlers Shine Bright
The collapse began when Shafali Verma dismissed Muneeba after she had a couple of near misses. Sree Charani then struck twice in the last over of the powerplay, swiftly turning Pakistan’s good start into chaos.
From a reasonable position of 27/0, Pakistan plummeted to 35/6 as Indian spinners took full control, leaving the batting lineup struggling to cope. Charani ended with impressive bowling figures of 3 wickets for just 7 runs, while Prema Rawat also picked up three wickets, conceding only nine runs. Deepti Sharma and Shafali Verma chipped in with valuable wickets as well.
India maintained a fierce attack, evident in Pakistan’s inability to form any steady partnerships after the opening batsmen. The result was an early end to their innings, concluding at 55 runs.
After the match, Charani credited her success to focusing on her strengths and following the guidance from her coaches. She expressed her aim to improve her arm ball and yorkers to maintain accuracy.
India’s bowling performance demonstrated why they approached this match with such confidence. Having already secured a place in the semi-finals after victories over Thailand and Hong Kong, they were in top form against a Pakistan side that had beaten Thailand in their previous game.
A Historic, Yet Painful Milestone for Pakistan
This match was particularly significant for Pakistan as it was their 200th T20I. Unfortunately, rather than celebrating the milestone with a solid performance, they earned an unwanted record. Before this match, Pakistan’s lowest T20I total was 56 against New Zealand in 2022. Their other low totals included 60 against England, 63 against India, and 65 against the West Indies, among others.
For India, this match further solidified their dominant record against Pakistan. They have now won nine of their last ten T20I encounters, with their only loss occurring during the 2022 Asia Cup.
Additionally, this contest was noteworthy for Harmanpreet Kaur, who captained India for her milestone 150th match, becoming the first player — male or female — to achieve such a feat.
Pakistan’s Lowest T20I Totals
- 60 vs. England, Taunton, 2009
- 63 vs. India, Guangzhou, 2012
- 65 vs. West Indies, St Andrew’s, 2011
- 72 vs. Sri Lanka, Colombo (NCC), 2018
