India's squad for the 2026 Women's T20 World Cup was announced on Saturday (May 2). Here are the key takeaways from the 15-member playing-group.
India's squad for the 2026 Women's T20 World Cup
Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana (vc), Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma, Bharti Fulmali, Richa Ghosh (wk), Yastika Bhatia (wk), Deepti Sharma, Arundhati Reddy, Nandani Sharma, Radha Yadav, Renuka Singh, N Shree Charani, Kranti Gaud, Shreyanka Patil.
The big blow: Amanjot Kaur out injured
Seam-bowling all-rounder Amanjot Kaur was a crucial part of India's 2025 ODI World Cup win, providing balance at the No.7/No.8 slot (not to mention her excellent fielding). She went on the tour of Australia in February, but did not travel for the five T20Is in South Africa, presumably due to the same injury that will now keep her out of the World Cup.
"It is not easy to replace Amanjot Kaur because she strengthens all three departments, and is an experienced player as well," said selection chair Amita Sharma. "She will be away from cricket for four-five months," added skipper Harmanpreet Kaur.
Nandani Sharma earns maiden India call-up
One of the players expected to fill that gap will be Nandani Sharma. "We replaced Amanjot with Kashvee [Gautam]. Kashvee also got injured, so we have brought Nandani in her place," Amita said at the press conference.
The Chandigarh pacer enjoyed a stellar outing at the 2026 Women's Premier League, taking 17 wickets, the joint-most in the competition alongside Sophie Devine. Following that campaign, she made the India A squad for the Rising Stars Asia Cup but picked up an injury in the first game. That likely put paid to Nandani's chances of making the squads for the South Africa tour, but the three T20Is against England leading up to the World Cup could see her debut for India.
Read more: Explained: Why India picked an uncapped quick for the 2026 T20 World Cup
Yastika Bhatia returns
Wicketkeeper Yastika Bhatia was part of India's squads for the 2025 ODI World Cup and 2024 T20 World Cup. But since the last edition of this tournament, she has played precisely zero T20Is. Yastika's return is driven primarily by her prior experience in and around the national team, as well as the fact that India have no other solid backup for Richa Ghosh; neither Uma Chetry nor G Kamalini have received enough chances to show that they can slot in.
"Pratika [Rawal]'s name was also considered, and we had a discussion about that," Amita said. "Since Yastika is a bit more experienced and she gives us wicketkeeping along with a top-order option, we went her way."
Rawal is yet to make her T20I debut for India, but made a record-breaking start to her ODI career and was a vital cog in last year's World Cup win. She is, however, part of the squad that will play a one-off Test at Lord's this summer.
An inexperienced bowling attack?
India's biggest point of concern will be the state of their bowling attack, and whether the players they have available will have enough experience to fall back on. Deepti Sharma and Renuka Singh lead the pack with 141 and 63 T20I caps respectively, but Kranti Gaud, Nandani, Shree Charani and Shreyanka Patil have just 47 between the four of them.
One thinks at least two of those four would have to make India's starting XI; how they are managed and deployed could be worth keeping an eye out for.
Batting teams out of contests remains a possibility
Whatever minor issues India may have in the bowling department, the fact remains that this side possesses the batting quality to reach 180 consistently. The opening pair of Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma average over 40 in T20Is along with strike rates in excess of 140. Since the last World Cup. Jemimah Rodrigues had an up-and-down South Africa series, but if she can replicate her WPL form, India become that much more dangerous.
Add to this the power of Ghosh towards the death, and Harmanpreet as a stabilising presence in the middle order, the South Africa series loss notwithstanding, India have the potential out-bat even the best in the competition more often than not.
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