The Indian women’s cricket team has had a remarkable journey in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, evolving through each edition since the tournament’s inception in 2009. They have been one of the emerging nations in women’s cricket over the last decade. Let’s explore the journey of the Indian women’s team at the T20 World Cups.
2009 Women’s T20 World Cup
The first edition of the Women’s T20 World Cup was hosted by England. In the inaugural edition, star Indian pacer Jhulan Goswami led the side. The eight-team tournament was divided into two groups, with India being part of Group B alongside the host England and their neighboring countries Sri Lanka and Pakistan. Though India lost their first match against England, they made a solid comeback by winning their next two matches: against Pakistan by five wickets while chasing 76, and against Sri Lanka by four wickets while chasing 95. They made it to the semi-final but against the White Ferns lost the match by 52 runs while chasing 146.
2010 Women’s T20 World Cup
The second edition of the Women’s T20 World Cup was held in the West Indies with eight teams participating. It was similar to the first edition, with the eight teams divided into two groups. Jhulan Goswami was leading the Indian side for the second consecutive edition. India was grouped with New Zealand, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan. India lost their opening match as the White Ferns defended a target of 140, winning by 10 runs. India bounced back in their next match against Pakistan, chasing the target of 105 by nine wickets. Following their victory over Pakistan, they went on to win their match against Sri Lanka by a big margin of 71 runs, defending 145 and making it to the knockout for the second consecutive time. Australia faced India in the semi-final, with Australia securing a victory by seven wickets while chasing 120. India’s Mithali Raj was the second-highest run-getter with 145 runs in 4 innings at a stunning average of 72, including a fifty, while Diana David was the leading wicket-taker in the tournament with 9 wickets in 4 matches at an economy of 4.16
2012 Women’s T20 World Cup
The third edition of the Women’s T20 World Cup was hosted by Sri Lanka. Mithali Raj led the Indian side for the first time in the Women’s T20 World Cup, with Jhulan Goswami having led in the previous two editions. India was part of Group A alongside England, Australia, and Pakistan, and turned out to be a very disappointing campaign for India as they failed to win a single match. They lost their first match against Australia, who chased down 105. This defeat was followed by England chasing 117 comfortably and a last-ball thriller as Pakistan defended 99, winning by one run.
2014 Women’s T20 World Cup
The fourth edition of the Women’s T20 World Cup was hosted by Bangladesh. For the first time in the Women’s T20 World Cup, ten teams participated. The Indian side was led by Mithali Raj. India lost their opening match by 22 runs against Sri Lanka, failing to chase a target of 128. They suffered their second defeat in their next match against England, who chased a comfortable target of 96. After two consecutive defeats, they secured a win against Bangladesh, winning by 79 runs while defending 152, followed by a win against the West Indies. They finished third in the tournament, failing to make it to the semi-final for the 2nd time.
2016 Women’s T20 World Cup
India hosted the 2016 Women’s T20 World Cup with 10 teams participating. Two groups were formed, with India being part of Group B with England, West Indies, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. India started the tournament well with a win against Bangladesh in their opening game. However, the hosts suffered three consecutive losses: the first against Pakistan in a rain-interrupted match, followed by losses against England and the West Indies. They finished fourth in the group, failing to qualify for the third consecutive time.
2018 Women’s T20 World Cup
The 2018 Women’s T20 World Cup was hosted by the West Indies for the second time, the first being in 2010. Harmanpreet Kaur led the Indian side, becoming the third Indian captain after Jhulan Goswami and Mithali Raj to do so. India was part of Group B alongside New Zealand, Australia, Pakistan, and Ireland. They kicked off their tournament with a win over the White Ferns, with the Indian skipper scoring her maiden century in the T20I format. Powered by her century, India scored 194, securing a win by 34 runs. India won their second match against Pakistan by seven wickets while chasing 134, followed by wins over Ireland and Australia. India was unbeatable in the group stage, winning all four matches and topping the group. However, they suffered a defeat against England in the semi-final, defending a low total of 113. Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana were the second and third-highest run-scorers respectively, with both being part of the ICC Team of the Tournament alongside Poonam Yadav.
2020 Women’s T20 World Cup
The seventh edition of the Women’s T20 World Cup was held in Australia, with ten teams participating. Harmanpreet Kaur led the Indian side for the second consecutive season. India was part of Group A alongside the host Australia, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. India was unbeatable in the group stages, winning all four of their matches and becoming the first team to qualify for the knockouts. Their first win came against Australia, followed by victories over New Zealand, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. India progressed to the final for the very first time as the semi-final against England was washed out due to rain, on grounds of a better seeding than England. They faced Australia in the final but suffered a heavy 85 runs loss while defending 185. Poonam Yadav was part of the ICC Team of the Tournament from the Indian side.
2023 Women’s T20 World Cup
The 2023 Women’s T20 World Cup was held in South Africa. Ten teams were divided into two groups with the Harmanpreet Kaur led Indian side, grouped in Group B alongside England, West Indies, Pakistan, and Ireland. India played against Pakistan in their opening match, registering a victory by seven wickets while chasing 150. This was followed by another comfortable victory over the West Indies by six wickets while chasing 119. Their only loss in the tournament came against England, as they finished second in the group stage with three wins and one loss. They qualified for the knockouts, facing Australia in the semi-final, but suffered a loss in a thrilling match as Australia defended a target of 173, winning by five runs. Indian wicketkeeper-batter Richa Ghosh made it to the ICC Team of the Tournament from the Indian side.
