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India conquered the ODI format in 2025 with their maiden Women’s World Cup title on home soil. That means the timing could not be more perfect for India to conquer the T20 game, and they get that opportunity with the 2026 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in England and Wales.
But this road will be a trickier one for the Women in Blue. English conditions, a tough group, and the expectations of following up the ODI World Cup triumph are all barriers in India’s way.
However, the 2025 ODI World Cup taught us that this side does not know the meaning of barriers and instead has a habit of casually defying the odds. With a champion mentality now ever present, those odds do not even seem as steep.
The T20 game, however, is completely different from the ODI format, demanding a more rapid and aggressive approach rather than patience and the ability to play out a game. It is a challenge Indian skipper Harmanpreet Kaur understands.
“T20 cricket is all about adapting as soon as possible because it’s quite fast,” said Kaur at the captains’ carnival press conference.
“You don’t have that much time and it’s all about playing your best cricket and going fearless.”
India have been drawn into a group with record champions Australia, their ODI World Cup final opponents South Africa, local rivals Pakistan and Bangladesh, and debutants Netherlands. The gap in quality across the group could create a whiplash effect for India as they move from opponent to opponent. However, in terms of sheer talent, India are strong favorites to make it through to the semifinals.
Their road to the World Cup has been a rocky one, to say the least. They started the year by beating Australia 2-1 in their own backyard, making them seem like early favorites for the tournament. Unfortunately, that was followed by a crushing 4-1 away series loss to South Africa and then a 2-1 defeat to England just before the start of the World Cup.
Their warm-up matches were a mixed bag as well. India dominated the West Indies but were then beaten by England for a third time in about 10 days.
India’s biggest advantage, and in some ways their biggest headache, is the squad depth they have on hand. The WPL has allowed a huge range of talent to be discovered and has been a major factor in the selection of many players in the final squad. Players like Nandni Sharma and Bharthi Fulmali were picked for their performances in the WPL. Their lack of international experience is offset by how well they have adapted to the T20 game against international talent.
India have had enough time to experiment with the squad during the England series and the warm-up matches, but there are still concerns about what the final XI will look like during the World Cup. Beyond that, there are also issues involving some of the mainstays in the Indian lineup.
Most notably, India’s star opening pair of Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma are experiencing a rare rough patch. A combination of bad luck and rash decision-making has seen the openers fail to provide India with strong starts, putting more pressure on the middle order to perform for the majority of the innings. Mandhana directly addressed the issue after the third T20I against England.
“For me and Shifu (Shafali Verma) I think we both are timing the ball well,” she said.
“But unfortunately, we are not able to contribute in big ways for the team. For both of us, we’ll go back in the nets, keep working hard and make sure that we come back stronger as an opening pair.”
India’s start to the competition could not be any more explosive, as they open their campaign against heated rivals Pakistan in Birmingham. The matchup is always high tension, but in terms of quality, India have defeated Pakistan six times in their eight encounters at the Women’s T20 World Cup. As a result, the opener may not be India’s most challenging game, but it is still crucial for building momentum.
“I think the first game is very important,” said Kaur.
“It always sets the tone for you and I think we are really looking forward for that, hopefully we’ll give our best.”
India then travel to Leeds to take on the Netherlands in the country’s first-ever appearance at a Women’s T20 World Cup. The Netherlands enter the tournament as one of its most intriguing stories, as they are the only side without centrally contracted players. That means the squad has had to make significant sacrifices to be present at this World Cup.
“I think the biggest sacrifice is that someone quit her job,” shared Netherlands captain Babette de Leede about teammate Caroline de Lange.
“She was working as a doctor and she quit her job to be here. She was super happy, so we were happy for her.”
So, while the Netherlands may not be as technically polished as the rest of their opponents, they possess a drive and unpredictability that could lead to some serious upsets.
India will then head to Manchester to take on South Africa in a rematch of the 2025 ODI World Cup final. South Africa have agonizingly finished as runners-up in each of the last three ICC events, but that record also speaks to their consistency on the biggest stage.
“It’s been tough to lose the last three finals of big tournaments, but I think we’re doing a lot right to find ourselves in those games,” said South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt.
“Hopefully we’re able to make one again and can play a really good game of cricket when we get to that point.”
India then remain in Manchester to face Bangladesh before heading down to Lord’s Cricket Ground in London for a final group-stage clash with Australia. It promises to be a blockbuster event at one of cricket’s most iconic venues between two of the sport’s biggest rivals.
Australia still have a bitter taste in their mouths after their semifinal defeat to India at the 2025 ODI World Cup, where India produced a record-breaking chase to eliminate the favorites. Combined with missing out on the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup title, the serial winners are desperate to get back on track.
“I think a big part of it is just looking forward rather than looking back,” said Australian captain Sophie Molineux.
“If you look back over the last ten years we’ve been really successful but I do think we probably have got more learnings out of the last two world cups than when we had, you know, the seven or eight before.
“Hopefully we’re setting a bit of a platform up for this World Cup and hopefully for a long time afterwards.”
India have a challenging path ahead if they want to rule the T20 format as well. But the hunger to win remains as strong as ever, as the players know they are fighting for more than personal achievement or even national pride.
Winning the ODI World Cup changed perceptions of the women’s game overnight in India. Capturing the T20 World Cup would further cement that transformation and help ensure it lasts for years to come.
“I think if we play good cricket, if we’re able to create some good memories here, definitely things are going to change back home,” said Kaur about the impact this T20 World Cup can have on India.
“Many girls, they’re coming to play cricket and I think when we do well, a lot of things change and hopefully, you know, we play our best cricket and try to, you know, make an impact on women’s cricket.”
India begin thier 2026 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup campaign against Pakistan on June 14, at 2:30 p.m. BST (9:30 a.m. EST; 7:00 p.m. IST) at Edgbaston in Birmingham.
(SAH will be present for all of India’s fixtures to bring you the latest updates)
