Predicted: India’s playing XI for Women's T20 World Cup 2026

There weren’t many surprises when India named their team for the 2026 Women's T20 World Cup, with uncapped quick Nandani Sharma’s inclusion the biggest talking point. Of the 10 players who have played 10 or more T20Is since the last Women's T20 World Cup, only the injured Amanjot Kaur misses out.

Making up for the balance and stability that Kaur provides would be the management’s biggest task, with all of Radha Yadav, Bharti Fulmali and Nandani Sharma expected to fill in for the seam-bowling all-rounder at some point. Whether they succeed at it remains to be seen.

India’s squad for T20 World Cup 2026

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.

Also read: Why India picked an uncapped quick for the 2026 T20 World Cup

India at the 2026 Women's T20 World Cup: Predicted XI

The top order

The opening pair of Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma is a lock-in. The two have been India’s top scorers in the format following the 2024 Women's T20 World Cup, with 725 and 642 runs, respectively, while both averaging over 40 and striking at over 140. They were also on top of the run-scoring charts when India toured England for a five-match series last year.

India’s next two top-scorers in the cycle, Jemimah Rodrigues and captain Harmanpreet Kaur, are shoo-ins at 3 and 4. Jemimah hasn’t been at her best recently, whereas Harmanpreet had a strong South Africa series. But the two are highly experienced, and if they can rediscover their respective WPL forms, breaking through this top four would be quite tricky for the opposition.

All-rounders

Richa Ghosh’s destructive batting awaits opponents after they get through that top four. The incumbent wicketkeeper has scored 356 runs at an average of over 30 and a strike-rate of 167.92 after the last Women's T20 World Cup, and has featured in all 21 T20Is India have played in the period. Yastika Bhatia is the back-up wicketkeeper but hasn’t played a T20I at all over the last two years.

Deepti Sharma’s performances speak for themselves. She is India’s highest wicket-taker with 25 scalps since the last Women's T20 World Cup and is an assured presence with the bat. Depending on whether India go with Radha Yadav or Bharti Fulmali, she could either bat at No.6 or 7.

While Fulmali is likely the more dangerous batter, India could go with Radha as the sixth bowling option. The spin-bowling all-rounder had an impactful Rising Stars Asia Cup in February this year and was the joint-highest wicket-taker at the tournament with 10 scalps from five games.

Bowlers

India could go in with three seamers on top of the three spin options. Renuka Singh is a sure-shot selection, more so in English conditions, and so is Arundhati Reddy. Though Kranti Gaud didn’t have a great South Africa series, she could get a go-ahead to start the England T20Is, and India could then take a call, with Nandani Sharma, the WPL’s top wicket-taker, also waiting in the wings.

Shree Charani, with her left-arm spin, has taken 24 wickets in 17 matches at 19.91 since her debut on the 2025 England tour, where she returned 4-12 in her first-ever T20I. She will likely complete the bowling line up, which looks a tad short on experience.

Also read: Five takeaways from India's squad for the 2026 T20 World Cup

Predicted: India's Women's T20 World Cup 2026 playing XI

1. Smriti Mandhana
2. Shafali Verma
3. Jemimah Rodrigues
4. Harmanpreet Kaur (c)
5. Richa Ghosh (wk)
6. Deepti Sharma
7. Radha Yadav
8. Arundhati Reddy
9. Kranti Gaud
10. Shree Charani
11. Renuka Singh

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