Pakistan Head Coach Accepts Defeat Vs India Even Before Chase; Throws Fielders Under The Bus

Pakistan Head Coach Accepted Defeat Vs India [Source: AFP]

During the IND-W Vs PAK-W Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 game, Pakistan head coach Wahab Riaz accepted defeat just after the first innings. He used poor fielding as an excuse in his mid-innings interview.

At Edgbaston, India won the toss and opted to bat, though the start was shaky as they lost 2 wickets inside the powerplay. Regardless, captain Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana built a strong 91-run partnership to rescue India from what could have been a humiliating collapse.

Wahab Riaz blames Pakistan fielders for poor show

At the end of the first innings, India Women finished with a par total of 170/6. However, even before the chase could begin, Pakistan Women head coach Wahab Riaz conceded defeat.

In a mid-innings interview, Wahab Riaz said Pakistan’s poor fielding cost them the game as they led India to score 10-15 runs more than expected. He added that two dropped catches of Smriti Mandhana could have been avoided.

"The way we started, we should have restricted them under 160. I think we conceded 10-15 runs more. I think one or two dropped catches, that was where we lost the game I think. I just told them to stay calm. That was the only message," Wahab Riaz told the broadcasters during the mid-innings break.

Interestingly, Pakistan dropped Mandhana’s catch twice. In the 8th over, Aliya got her fingers under the ball but failed to hold on to it. Smriti survived and later went on to hit a half-century.

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Later, in the 13th over, Saira fumbled a catch at the boundary rope, and the ball went out for a six. These two missed chances cost Pakistan, as India eventually managed to get a match-winning total.

Smriti Mandhana scores a scintillating half-century

That being said, Smriti Mandhana made the best use of her luck. She stitched a crucial 91-run stand for the third wicket with captain Harmanpreet Kaur. 

Mandhana played the attacking role, striking 68 off 44 balls with nine fours and two sixes, while Harmanpreet contributed 36 off 35 balls. This partnership completely changed the momentum after India's shaky start.

Once Mandhana departed at 109/3, Pakistan briefly fought back. However, Richa Ghosh smashed 34 off just 17 balls at a strike rate of 200, helping India score quickly in the death overs. 

Pakistan captain Fatima Sana and Sadia Iqbal took two wickets each, but they struggled to contain India's batters, conceding 170 runs. 

Pakistan Women in a deep mess

The target of 171 runs is not usually an uphill task. However, it could be a challenging chase in a Women's T20 World Cup match. India will feel they are slightly ahead because the pitch has offered some assistance to bowlers.

Pakistan's batting has often struggled while chasing big totals, and India possesses quality bowlers like Deepti Sharma, Shreyanka Patil and Arundhati Reddy.

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If India Women manages to chip in some early wickets and rattle Pakistan Women in the powerplay, it could be an easy win at Edgbaston for Harmanpreet Kaur and co.

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