India Women's T20 World Cup 2026 Squad: Full List & Key Picks

Dr. Annelies De Vos · 2026-05-04

The BCCI has officially named India's 15-member squad for the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026, set to take place in England and Wales starting June 12. The announcement came from BCCI headquarters in Mumbai on May 2, with captain Harmanpreet Kaur, selection committee chair Amita Sharma, and BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia present. Harmanpreet Kaur will lead the side for the fifth time at the tournament. Smriti Mandhana has been named vice-captain. The squad blends familiar faces with a handful of fresh names, as India aims to secure its first Women's T20 World Cup title. ### Full 15-Member Squad Here's the complete list of players chosen for the 2026 tournament: - Harmanpreet Kaur (C) - Smriti Mandhana (VC) - Shafali Verma - Jemimah Rodrigues - Bharti Fulmali - Deepti Sharma - Richa Ghosh (wk) - Shree Charani - Yastika Bhatia - Nandini Sharma - Renuka Singh Thakur - Arundhati Reddy - Kranti Gaud - Shreyanka Patil - Radha Yadav Four players — Bharti Fulmali, Nandini Sharma, Shree Charani, and Kranti Gaud — could make their first ICC Women's T20 World Cup appearances if selected in the playing XI. ### Batting and Bowling Core The core batting lineup remains intact. Mandhana and Shafali Verma are expected to open, with Jemimah Rodrigues at number three. These three have combined for 1,858 runs among the top-order batters since the last T20 World Cup. Deepti Sharma and Renuka Singh carry the primary bowling responsibilities, offering a solid mix of spin and pace. ### Key Inclusions, Returns, and Notable Omissions The biggest talking point from the selection is Nandini Sharma's inclusion. The uncapped medium pacer earned her call-up after a standout Women's Premier League 2026 campaign with Delhi Capitals, where she picked up 17 wickets in 10 matches. She was also part of India's squad for the Women's Asia Cup Rising Stars tournament earlier this year. Wicketkeeper-batter Yastika Bhatia returns to the squad after recovering from an ACL injury, which is another welcome boost for India's batting depth. On the other side, Pratika Rawal has been left out of the T20 squad despite strong domestic performances. She has, however, been included in India's squad for the one-off Test against England at Lord's in July, signaling the management sees her primarily as a longer-format prospect for now. Amanjot Kaur and Kashvee Gautam both miss out due to injury. Amanjot's absence in particular affects India's pace-bowling options heading into English conditions. ### India's T20 World Cup Schedule and Preparation Before the tournament begins, India will play a three-match T20I series against England as preparation. The series opens on May 28 in Chelmsford, followed by matches in Bristol on May 30 and Taunton on June 2. India is placed in Group A alongside Australia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, the Netherlands, and South Africa. Their World Cup campaign begins on June 14 against Pakistan at Edgbaston, Birmingham. Subsequent group matches are against the Netherlands in Leeds on June 17, South Africa in Manchester on June 21, Bangladesh in Manchester on June 25, and Australia at Lord's on June 28. India's best result at the Women's T20 World Cup remains a runners-up finish in 2020. In the most recent 2024 edition, they were eliminated at the group stage. Fresh off their 2025 Women's ODI World Cup title, the side will be aiming to go one step further in the shortest format this time around. > "This squad has the right mix of experience and young talent. We're confident they can go all the way," said selection committee chair Amita Sharma during the announcement. Visit [JeetWin Blog](nofollow) for more cricket news and updates.