India Women's T20 World Cup squad announcement LIVE: Selection meeting underway, Harmanpreet to address media at 5 pm

The 2026 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup will be staged across England and Wales, featuring 12 teams. The tournament is scheduled to begin on June 12, with defending champions New Zealand returning to protect the title they secured in 2024. The final is set for July 5, marking the culmination of what promises to be a highly competitive tournament.

Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur is set to announce the squad at a press conference alongside the selectors, but the final composition is likely to spark debate. While core names such as Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma and Shafali Verma are expected to be certain picks, a few players could still miss out. The bigger question surrounds the pace attack, with conditions in England likely to influence selection heavily. Choosing the right mix of seamers for swinging conditions could be crucial to India’s chances in the tournament.

In their most recent T20I outing, Harmanpreet Kaur’s India endured a disappointing 4-1 series defeat against South Africa, led by Laura Wolvaardt. The result exposed a few gaps in both departments, leaving the side with key areas to address ahead of the upcoming global tournament.

India’s campaign in the 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup begins with a high-voltage clash against Pakistan on June 14 at Edgbaston in Birmingham, followed by a meeting with the Netherlands on June 17 at Headingley in Leeds. They then take on South Africa on June 21 and Bangladesh on June 25, both at Old Trafford in Manchester, before wrapping up their league stage against Australia on June 28 at Lord’s in London. All matches are scheduled to start at 7:00 PM IST, giving India a consistent run of evening fixtures across venues.

Ahead of the World Cup, India Women will get valuable game time in English conditions with a three-match T20I series against England. The series begins on May 28, followed by the second game on May 30, before concluding on June 2. It serves as a crucial build-up, giving the team a chance to fine-tune combinations, assess conditions, and get used to the pace and movement on offer. With the global tournament around the corner, these matches will play a key role in shaping India’s preparations and momentum.

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