BCCI announce squad for ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 as Harmanpreet Kaur leads India; full team, schedule, and key details inside
India Women’s T20 WC: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced a 15-member Indian team for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026. Harmanpreet Kaur will lead the side as captain, while Smriti Mandhana has been named vice-captain.
The announcement was made at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai on May 2 at 5 PM IST. Harmanpreet spoke to the media along with selection committee chair Amita Sharma and BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia.
The team includes a mix of experienced players and young talent as India aims to win its first Women’s T20 World Cup title.
BCCI Confirms Squad on X
The BCCI Women officially announced the squad on X (formerly Twitter), posting:
“The wait is over! Presenting #TeamIndia’s squad for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026. Let’s bring out the cheers for #WomenInBlue.”
This post confirmed India’s 15-member squad for the global tournament.
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Full India Women Squad by BCCI
- Harmanpreet Kaur (Captain)
- Smriti Mandhana (Vice-Captain)
- Shafali Verma
- Jemimah Rodrigues
- Bharti Fulmali
- Deepti Sharma
- Richa Ghosh (Wicketkeeper)
- Shree Charani
- Yastika Bhatia
- Nandini Sharma
- Renuka Singh Thakur
- Arundhati Reddy
- Kranti Gaud
- Shreyanka Patil
- Radha Yadav
Tournament Details
The Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 will be played in England from June 12 to July 5.
India is in a tough group with Australia, South Africa, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and the Netherlands.
India’s Match Schedule
India will start its campaign with a big match against Pakistan. The full schedule is:
- June 14: India vs Pakistan – Edgbaston, Birmingham
- June 17: India vs Netherlands – Headingley, Leeds
- June 21: India vs South Africa – Old Trafford, Manchester
- June 25: India vs Bangladesh – Old Trafford, Manchester
- June 28: India vs Australia – Lord’s, London
All matches will begin at 7:00 PM IST.
Team Strategy and Combination
India will depend on a strong top order with Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, and Jemimah Rodrigues.
The selectors have worked on key areas like:
- Adding a strong finisher in the middle order
- Improving the bowling, which has been a concern
- The team has also picked players who can perform well in English conditions, where swing and seam bowling will matter.
Recent Performance Concerns
India recently lost a T20I series 4–1 against South Africa, which has raised questions about consistency. Even though the team has done well against England and Australia earlier, bowling is still a concern.
India’s T20 World Cup Record
India has performed well in past tournaments but has not won the title yet:
- Best result: Runner-up in 2020
- Semi-finals: 2009, 2010, 2018, 2023
- 2024: Knocked out in the group stage
Big Chance for History
India comes into this tournament after winning the ODI World Cup in 2025, which gives the team confidence.
However, the team needs to stay consistent in T20 matches. A good balance in batting and bowling will be important if Harmanpreet Kaur and her team want to win their first Women’s T20 World Cup.
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