Women's T20 World Cup 2026: India Squad Announced, Kaur Backs Team

(MENAFN- AsiaNet News)

India have announced their squad for the upcoming ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026, with captain Harmanpreet Kaur backing the contingent as favourites heading into the tournament, expressing confidence in the team's ability to deliver. The tournament is set to get underway on June 12 in England and Wales, where India will look for their maiden ICC trophy in the shortest format, after reigning supreme in last year's 50-over Cricket World Cup. India will kick off their campaign on 14 June against Pakistan, where they are a part of Group A alongside Australia, Bangladesh, the Netherlands and South Africa.

'Will definitely rate this team as favourites'

"I will definitely rate this team as favourites and the team we picked today, they have the calibre to become champions. No pressure, no overconfidence. T20 cricket is only about playing good cricket," Harmanpreet Kaur said.

Squad selection: Key changes and challenges

A key challenge for the selectors has been the absence of Amanjot Kaur, with the all-rounder sidelined for a few months now. India have brought back handy spinner Radha Yadav to strengthen the all-round option, after impressing with the India A side in recent months.

Kaur said Amanjot's absence is a significant setback, as she has been out of action for several months and is a key all-rounder. She admitted it has been difficult to find a like-for-like replacement, though the team is working to maintain balance, with Radha Yadav's return offering another all-round option. "Amanjot is our key player, she is not available. She has been away from cricket for 4-5 months now. It was difficult to find someone like her, but we are trying. She got opportunities. We have got Radha back in the side, she is also an all-rounder. It was hard to find Amanjot's replacement. We are trying to balance the team," she added.

The selection meeting also saw Harleen Deol miss out on the T20I squad, with the team opting for a more aggressive middle-order approach through Bharti Fulmali. Kaur explained that Fulmali is being preferred for the middle-order role in T20Is, as she suits the team's current needs better. She added that Deol remains in contention and is part of the Test setup, but for the shorter format, Fulmali is seen as the more effective choice at present.

"Fulmali is a better option in the middle order. Harleen is there in the scheme of things, she is in the Test team. But for T20Is, Fulmali is a better option," Kaur said.

Focus on execution and consistency

Despite a recent series loss in South Africa, the captain remains focused on execution, particularly in key phases of the game. "I feel that in T20S, powerplay is very important. If you are batting, you have to target runs. If you are bowling, you have to get a couple of wickets in that phase. We want to work very hard for the powerplay and also for the middle overs, as that also plays a big role. We have a plan and the learning which we got from South Africa," she added.

Kaur also emphasised the importance of consistency in selection, backing players like Jemimah Rodrigues to continue delivering. Despite returning decent numbers in the tour against South Africa, Rodrigues has received backing after being a crucial part in India's maiden Cricket World Cup triumph last year. "Changing too many things doesn't suit us. Whenever Jemimah has had the chance, she has proved the decision. With time, she will settle it. Whatever the team needs, I'm ready for that. We are going to try a lot of things in the camp, to see what we will do in the World Cup. I'm always ready to fill any spot for the team," she concluded.

Fresh off their 50-over World Cup triumph, India will look to build on their momentum and chase more silverware at the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026, which begins on June 12. Kaur, leading India for the fifth time at the tournament, will be eager to guide her side to the coveted title, having come close on several occasions before narrowly missing out. The skipper will be supported in the batting lineup by key players in Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues and Richa Ghosh, while the bowling responsibilities will largely rest on the shoulders of Deepti Sharma and Renuka Singh.

India squad for the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026:

Kashvee Gautam and Amanjot Kaur were not available for selection owing to injuries. India squad for the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026: Harmanpreet Kaur (captain), Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Bharti Fulmali, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh, Shree Charani, Yastika Bhatia, Nandani Sharma, Arundhati Reddy, Renuka Singh, Kranti Gaud, Shreyanka Patil, Radha Yadav. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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