Mumbai: Riding the euphoric wave of their 2025 ODI World Cup triumph, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has unveiled a dynamic 15-member Indian women’s squad for the upcoming home T20I series against Sri Lanka, captained by the unflappable Harmanpreet Kaur and vice-captained by the elegant Smriti Mandhana.
This announcement on Tuesday signals a thrilling chapter in women’s cricket, blending battle-hardened campaigners with promising prodigies eager to etch their names in the fast-paced T20 arena.
Harmanpreet, whose leadership steered India to World Cup glory, will spearhead the side alongside Mandhana, the stylish opener whose silken strokeplay has long been a cornerstone. The squad brims with firepower: all-rounder Deepti Sharma, the resilient Jemimah Rodrigues, explosive opener Shafali Verma – making a much-anticipated comeback after shining on domestic circuits and stepping up during the World Cup knockouts – and the hard-hitting Richa Ghosh behind the stumps.
Young blood injects fresh vigour, with 19-year-old spinner Vaishnavi Sharma, who scalped 21 wickets in the Senior Women’s T20 Trophy for Madhya Pradesh, earning her international stripes. Wicketkeeper-batter G Kamalini, another U-19 standout, joins alongside pacer Renuka Singh Thakur’s timely return, bolstering the bowling attack with Arundhati Reddy and Shri Charani.
Notable retentions include Sayali Satghare, Radha Yadav, and Shuchi Upadhyay, while the likes of Pratika Rawal make way for these emerging talents.
Under the guidance of head coach Amol Muzumdar, the team is poised to overcome recent setbacks, emphasising aggressive intent and depth.
The five-match T20I extravaganza kicks off on December 21 at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, with subsequent games on December 23 (also Kolkata), December 26 (Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai), December 28 (Mumbai), and December 30 (DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai).
As festive cheers echo across stadiums, India aims to extend their dominance, blending experience with youthful zest in what promises to be a spectacle of skill and strategy. Fans of cricket, prepare to witness the return of the queens of Indian cricket.