Indian opener
At 22 years and 220 days old, Varma surpassed the previous record held by Ireland’s Gaby Lewis, who reached the 3,000-run mark at 24 years and 347 days. Beyond her age-related feat, Varma also set a new standard for efficiency, becoming the fastest player to reach the milestone in terms of balls faced, requiring only 2,182 deliveries to complete the tally. She is the 16th player in the history of the format to reach this total and joins teammates Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur as the third Indian to do so.
A landmark reached in signature style
True to her aggressive batting approach, Varma reached the landmark with a flourish. Facing Pakistan’s Sadia Iqbal, she launched a six before rotating the strike with a single to officially cross the 3,000-run threshold. She followed this by striking a boundary off Fatima Sana before her innings concluded shortly after. Her brief but impactful stay at the crease ended when she was caught and bowled by the Pakistan captain, finishing with 12 runs off six balls, including one four and one six.
While Varma’s departure came early in the chase, it had little impact on the final outcome. India was set a modest target of 56 after a spectacular collapse by the Pakistan batting lineup, which was dismantled by India’s spin-heavy attack. Shree Charani and Prema Rawat were the primary architects of the destruction, claiming three wickets apiece, while Deepti Sharma contributed with two scalps to bundle Pakistan out for their lowest-ever T20I total.
Dominant victory secures top spot
The chase was a formality for India, who reached the target of 57 runs in just 8.4 overs, losing three wickets in the process. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur steered the side to a seven-wicket victory, remaining unbeaten on 18 and sealing the result with a decisive six. The win ensures India finishes at the top of Group A in the tournament standings, maintaining their momentum in the competition.
