India Women begin their ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 campaign in the biggest fixture in world cricket. The Women in Blue led by Harmanpreet Kaur take on rivals Pakistan at Edgbaston in Birmingham on Sunday in a game that will have eyeballs glued from around the globe. Whenever India and Pakistan lock horns on the cricket fieldhar the buzz is unparalleled. When the two nations compete against each other on the World stage it's a level higher and a full stadium is expected at this encounter to witness one of the most anticipated fixtures of the tournament as both teams aim to start their campaigns on a high note. Some of the Indian cricketers were seen expressing their views on the big rivalry ahead of the crunch encounter. Smriti Mandhana revealed the atmosphere that the players are likely to witness at Edgbaston on Sunday. Smriti Mandhana : "To kick-start your World Cup campaign with the Pakistan team is always good. All the girls will experience the crowd," The explosive Indian opener Shafali Verma also conveyed her emotions for the big encounter against the neighbors. Shafali Verma said : "Playing against Pakistan is always fun. Our team is always at the top. It's a lot of fun to play with them," Jemimah Rodrigues, on the other hand, emphasized on the historical aspect of this rivalry and the emotions associated with this fixture. Jemimah Rodrigues added : "We know how big an India-Pakistan game is. We know the history of it. And I think that's what makes it special. The rivalry, the history," Also Read | Three Years Later, Gurnoor Brar Makes Shubman Gill’s Belief Count Deepti Sharma Calls It A Must-Win Match India's premier all-rounder Deepti Sharma reiterated the importance of getting off to a positive start in the tournament and keeping the spirits high throughout the course of the match. Watch Here : "Yeh match toh jeetna hi jeetna hai!" 💪That one line perfectly captures the intensity of the #GreatestRivalry. 🇮🇳⚔️🇵🇰ICC Women’s #T20WorldCup 2026 | #INDvPAK 👉 SUN, 14th June, 6 PM pic.twitter.com/VNrb1kGnbd — Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) June 14, 2026 "We have to win this match. We have to do better in this match. We have to keep our spirits high," Deepti Sharma. India is heading into the tournament on the back of a World Cup win but knows that the motivated Pakistan team will look to cause an upset at this high-profile game. The likes of Nasser Hussain former England skipper believes Smriti Mandhana is key for India in the match against Pakistan and is backing her to play a crucial role in Sunday's fixture. Hussain said : "They're not surprise packages, but both Deepti and Smriti Mandhana have had quiet periods for a little while now. So, it's not a surprise. But come Sunday, I think Smriti Mandhana will absolutely raise her level. If you ask Pakistan who they would be most worried about at the top of the order, it is Smriti Mandhana. She'll go hard at Pakistan. She may need to rein it in a little." Smriti Mandhana has an excellent record against Pakistan in the T20I format the 29-year-old has scored 239 runs in 10 matches against Pakistan with a fifty to her name. Against the backdrop of lofty expectations and intense rivalry India aims to get off to a flying start to their World Cup journey and take a giant step towards winning the coveted trophy.