India Announces Squad for 2026 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup

Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur and head coach Amol Muzumdar have named India’s 15 player squad for the 2026 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in England and Wales. Fresh off a maiden ODI World Cup title in 2025, Kaur and Co are hungry to add the T20 World Cup title to their cabinet. The same squad will also play in the three match T20I series against England prior to the start of the World Cup.

11 of the 15 also featured at the ODI World Cup for India. In addition to them, the likes of Yastika Bhatia and Shreyanka Patil join the squad after lengthy absences from injury. The WPL has also played a factor in the selection, with Bharthi Fulmali and the uncapped Nandani Sharma receiving a call-up after impressing with their franchises at the T20 competition. One of the biggest omissions however is of Harleen Deol, with selectors believing her game is better suited for the longer formats. Deol has been included in the squad for the one-off Test against England at Lord’s that will take place after the T20 World Cup.

“(Bharthi) Fulmali is a better option in the middle order,” said chief selector Amita Sharma to Hindustan Times at the squad announcement press conference in relation to Deol’s snub. 

“Harleen (Deol) is in the scheme of things, she is in the Test team. But for T20Is, Fulmali is a better option.”

Looking at Fulmali’s strike rate of 146 in the WPL, and her tendency for cameos in the lower middle order, as compared to Deol’s conservative playstyle and higher position in the batting order, where the competition for a spot is more rigorous, it’s quite evident why the selectors preferred Fulmali for the rapid T20 game.

Another major absence is of Amanjot Kaur, who has been sidelined by injury. Amanjot has been an instrumental all-rounder presence for India in the last year or so, bringing contributions in all departments when needed. 

“Amanjot (Kaur) is our key player, she is not available. She is away from cricket for 4-5 months now,” said skipper Harmanpreet Kaur at the squad announcement press conference to Zee News.

“It was difficult to find someone like her, but we are trying. She got opportunities. We have got Radha (Yadav) 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.”

Amanjot scored 75 runs, including a match winning 63*, and took four wickets in the T20I series win during India’s tour of England in 2025, showcasing her ability on English soil. Thus, her unavailability can be massive for India at the T20 World Cup.

Either way India’s squad is more prepared than ever to challenge for the T20 World Cup title, with many of the big names such as Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Varma, Jemimah Rodrigues and the many others who were part of India’s maiden World Cup title charge raring to go. The girls in blue are set to coast off that momentum and take on the world yet again, starting June 14th where they play bitter rivals Pakistan at the Edgbaston Stadium in Birmingham.

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

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, Arundahti Reddy, Kranti Gaud, Shreyanka Patil, Radha Yadav.

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