India’s unbeaten start to the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup faces a stern test against South Africa, whose pace attack could challenge the opening pair. Experts Shikha Pandey and Veda Krishnamurthy also backed Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues ahead of the clash.
Published Date – 20 June 2026, 10:56 AM
Hyderabad: India have gotten off to a strong start in their ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 campaign with two wins in as many matches and now face South Africa in a crucial Group A encounter.
Speaking on JioHotstar’s ‘Game Plan’, JioStar experts Shikha Pandey and Veda Krishnamurthy shared their thoughts on Smriti Mandhana’s evolution as a T20 batter, the much-anticipated battle between Shafali Verma and Shabnim Ismail, and why Jemimah Rodrigues’ form isn’t a cause of concern.
“India’s opening pair of Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma have given India many strong starts. But they will face their toughest test yet. South Africa has the best bowling attack in this Women’s T20 World Cup. Their new-ball pair is one of the most dangerous in the tournament,” Shikha said.
“Shabnim Ismail has made a strong comeback and she’s bowling with good pace. Marizanne Kapp has already taken three wickets against Pakistan and is bowling with great control. Both will test the Indian openers with swing, seam, and bounce. Ayabonga Khaka, who moves the ball away from the right-handers, adds to the challenge,” she said.
“Smriti Mandhana has been dismissed in the past trying to drive away from her body, often caught in the slips or behind the stumps. She will need to be selective against the moving ball and Shabnim Ismail vs Shafali Verma will be a spicy contest. Shafali loves a challenge, and Ismail is not afraid to use the bouncer,” the former India star said.
On Smriti Mandhana adding power-hitting to her armoury, Shikha said: “India’s vice-captain Smriti Mandhana has worked extensively on her power-hitting. A perfect example of that was the WPL final, where we saw her playing shots through deep mid-wicket with great success. She has started using her power to clear the infield and find boundaries in that region as well. She has also started toying with the field, manipulating placements to her advantage.”
“ For someone who was known as a touch player, this is a big shift. Smriti is now accessing deep square leg, which was never her primary scoring area before. She has also added the conventional sweep to her game. When she steps out, she looks to hit straight, if not she has a plan B of going over covers. Her back-foot play has always been strong, but the way she has added power hitting to her game is remarkable. She is no longer just a timing player; she is now a complete T20 batter who can dominate both sides of the wicket,”Shikha explained.
JioStar expert Veda Krishnamurthy discussed Jemimah Rodrigues’ struggles in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 so far.
“You can’t be too worried about Jemimah Rodrigues’ performances so far in this T20 World Cup. She is too good a player to be judged on a few games. She knows she has a big role to play in this campaign. It is just about confidence. Yes, her numbers in T20 World Cups haven’t been great, but she proved herself in the 50-over World Cup. The knock against New Zealand and the match-winning innings in the semi-final against Australia showed what she is capable of. She has the backing of the team and the management,” she said.
“They need to keep giving her that confidence. One good innings is all it takes to get back into rhythm. She looked solid against the Netherlands. The timing was better, and she seemed more settled. It is only a matter of time before she plays a big knock, which I feel is right around the corner,” Veda said.
On Smriti Mandhana and other RCB players’ familiarity with Nadine de Klerk’s game, Veda said: “These players have faced each other a lot over the years. Many of them have also been teammates in the WPL. With Nadine de Klerk playing for RCB, Smriti Mandhana knows her game well. Richa Ghosh, Arundhati Reddy, and Radha Yadav also know her strengths and weaknesses from their time together in the same squad.”
“ But the way South Africa used Nadine in the first game was surprising. She didn’t bowl until the 12th over. She was also sent in at number four, even though she has mostly played as a finisher in white-ball cricket. That is where she has been most effective. There has been a lot of role-switching,” she said.
“The key point is that now there is a lot of information available. Teams have watched plenty of videos. Players understand each other well. Yes, Nadine is a threat on her day, but the confidence the Indian team currently has is something I want to back,” Veda said.
