India star Jemimah Rodrigues hailed the team’s collective effort and resilience after the Women in Blue opened their Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 campaign with a comprehensive 64-run victory over Pakistan at Edgbaston
In a clip shared by the BCCI after the match, Jemimah praised the contributions from across the squad, insisting that India’s success was built on players stepping up for one another rather than individual brilliance alone. “First one’s always special girls,” Jemimah said while addressing the team in the dressing room.
The middle-order batter first lauded opener Shafali Verma for setting the tone of the innings. “Shifu (Shafali), the first ball, big tournament…to hit a six on the first ball,” she said.
Jemimah then reserved special praise for senior batters Smriti Mandhana and captain Harmanpreet Kaur, who steadied India’s inings after an early setback. “Two of our veterans…Smriti, well played! Harry di, well played. To the situation, you both adjusted really well,” she added.
The India batter also highlighted the finishing touches provided by Richa Ghosh and Deepti Sharma. “Richa and Deepti. Talking about how we finished the game well, I think both of you were the best examples.”
‘We make up for each other’
However, Jemimah stressed that India’s victory was about much more than boundaries and wickets. She underlined the importance of teamwork and players backing each other during difficult phases.
“It was not about the sixes; it was not about the boundaries. In bowling, what I loved the best was, there will be days when someone will bowl well and someone might not. But we spoke about, as a team, we make up for each other.”
India’s bowlers staged a remarkable turnaround after Pakistan made a brisk start to their chase, with the Women in Blue pulling things back through disciplined bowling and sharp fielding.
“And, I think the partnership today, the way we bowled, was outstanding. We’ve always been a team. We’ve done well. But, today, we didn’t start off the way we wanted. But the way we pulled back, I think that should give us a lot of confidence,” Jemimah said.
Jemimah also singled out Deepti Sharma, whose match-winning spell of 5/10 dismantled Pakistan’s batting line-up. “I think you always stand out when the pressure is high. And, today, again, you took that responsibility with the ball,” she said.
The India batter also praised young spinner Shreyanka Patil for her composure and maturity, while applauding Shafali Verma’s efforts in the field. “Shafali Verma- Magic hands! You showed that you can always contribute. You were ready for the challenge, and you did it.”
Despite the comfortable win, Jemimah also backed Arundhati Reddy and Kranti Goud, reiterating the team’s faith in both bowlers.
The dressing-room speech ended with the India star highlighting the fielding efforts that helped change the course of the match, including Deepti’s run-out and Shreyanka’s stunning catch.
