India women are all set to lock horns against South Africa in their third match of the Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 on Sunday, June 21, as the battle for the knockouts heats up. The Harmanpreet Kaur-led Indian team is one of the only two unbeaten sides in Group A, with Australia being the other one.ย
India have put up dominant performances in their opening two matches against Pakistan and the Netherlands. They had put up strong all-round performances, having won the first match by 64 runs after making 170 and the second one by 95 runs after putting up a huge 209/5 against the Dutch side.
As for South Africa, they enter this game on the back of a loss and a win in their first two outings. The two-time finalists were blown away by Australia in the first match for just 107 before they salvaged a two-wicket win against Pakistan while chasing 127 in Birmingham. The stage is now set for the clash between two powerhouses at Old Trafford, which will test both of them. Ahead of the clash, here is all you need to know about the pitch of the venue.
Old Trafford, Manchester pitch report
Old Trafford has hosted two matches at this World Cup, and both those games were won by teams batting first. Scotland defeated Ireland by 40 runs after putting up 161/5, while Australia beat the Proteas women at this very ground by 65 runs.ย
The pitch for this game will, however, be a fresh one. The surface makes the ground dimensions more central, with the side boundaries being 62 meters approx. It is expected to be partly cloudy in Manchester.
Old Trafford – The Numbers Game
T20 stats:
Total Matches – 17
Matches won batting first – 7
Matches won bowling first – 7
Average 1st innings Score – 163
Average 2nd innings Score – 127
Highest total recorded – 304/2 (20 Ovs) By ENG vs RSA
Lowest total recorded – 103/10 (13.5 Ovs) By NZ vs ENG
Highest score chased – 199/5 (19.1 Ovs) By ENG vs PAK
Lowest score defended – 150/3 (20 Ovs) By ENGW vs WIW
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