Anya Vaidya delivered a knock to remember as Sweden Women stormed to a 10-wicket victory over Bulgaria Women in the ECA Women’s European Cup 2026. The Swedish batter lit up the match with an unbeaten 75 off just 25 balls, reaching her half-century in only 16 deliveries and turning the chase into a one-sided affair.
Vaidya’s explosive innings had everything a T20 cricket fan could ask for. She struck 13 fours and two sixes, scoring at a remarkable strike rate of 300.00. Rather than allowing Bulgaria to settle into the contest, she kept the pressure on the bowlers from the outset, finding gaps with ease and punishing loose deliveries. Her performance was the standout moment of a match in which Sweden made chasing a target of 99 look remarkably straightforward.
The foundation for Sweden’s victory was laid by the bowling unit, which kept Bulgaria from posting a competitive total. Batting first, Bulgaria managed 98/9 in 20 overs. Tanaya Dissanayake was the leading run-scorer, making 35 off 38 balls, while Gabriela Ilarionova chipped in with 20 from 22 deliveries. Simona Yordanova remained unbeaten on 11, but Bulgaria struggled to build partnerships or find the acceleration needed in the closing overs.
Shreya Hariharan led Sweden’s bowling effort with figures of 2/16 in four overs, while Malyun Yusuf was economical, taking 1/10 from her four overs. Hareer Chamto, Sasi Jampa and Anjali Natarajan also claimed a wicket apiece, helping Sweden keep the opposition below the 100-run mark.
The chase, however, belonged entirely to Vaidya. She and Adan Gul opened the innings and never gave Bulgaria a chance to fight back. Vaidya did most of the scoring, while Gul stayed unbeaten on nine off 11 balls as Sweden reached 99/0 in just 5.5 overs. The victory came with 85 balls remaining, underlining the gulf between the two sides on the day.
Vaidya’s 16-ball half-century was also a significant milestone in women’s T20I cricket. While it fell just short of the world record, held by Pakistan’s Fatima Sana for her 15-ball fifty against Zimbabwe in May 2026, the innings still marked an outstanding achievement.
For Sweden, it was a convincing team performance capped by a remarkable individual display. For Vaidya, it was the kind of innings that captures attention beyond the scorecard, showcasing the confidence, timing and fearless strokeplay that make T20 cricket so exciting.
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