Delhi Capitals speedster Nandani Sharma has received a landmark call-up to India’s squad for the 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup in England, a major career step for the 24-year-old as the BCCI announced a 15-player group on Saturday. Sharma, who has been on the fringes of India selection for much of the past season, now joins the international setup for the showpiece event, while her domestic form has also earned her a role in a historic one-off Test at Lord’s, scheduled for July 10—immediately following the tournament.
Sharma’s rise has been built on momentum from a standout Women’s Premier League campaign. She broke into the spotlight with an impressive debut season for Delhi Capitals, where she finished as the joint-leading wicket-taker with 17 scalps in 10 matches, helping the side reach the final stage as runners-up. One of the defining moments of her WPL run came early, when she produced a hat-trick in just her second appearance, a spell that quickly marked her as one of the breakout performers of the competition.
The squad announcement also brings some changes in the balance of experience and options. Wicketkeeper-batter Yastika Bhatia returns to the group, along with left-arm spinner Radha Yadav. Meanwhile, Anushka Sharma and Uma Chetry miss out, while injuries have influenced the final selection. Promising allrounders Amanjot Kaur and Kashvee Gautam have been ruled out—Amanjot due to a back issue and Kashvee because of a knee problem—creating space for Radha’s recall and giving India more depth in the spin department alongside Deepti Sharma, Shreyanka Patil and Shree Charani.
Chief selector Amita Sharma explained the decision-making behind the omissions, stating that Kashvee is expected to undergo surgery. Captain Harmanpreet Kaur also confirmed that Amanjot could be sidelined for as long as five months, underlining why the selectors moved towards a different mix for the World Cup and the surrounding international schedule.
Bhatia’s inclusion is particularly notable given her recent absence from the international stage. She is making a comeback after an ACL operation, an injury that kept her away from the 2025 ODI World Cup. Her last appearance in a T20I came in April 2024, and her return is expected to add experience to the lower-middle order as well as reinforce India’s wicketkeeping resources, with Richa Ghosh continuing to anchor that area.
Radha Yadav’s return comes with the kind of tournament-ready pedigree India will value in England. She has played 89 T20Is and has taken 103 wickets in that format, and her timing means she is back ahead of what will be her fifth Women’s T20 World Cup. With her left-arm spin and control, India’s bowling attack gains another option capable of working through the middle overs and controlling scoring rates.
India’s World Cup campaign is set to begin against Pakistan on June 14 in Birmingham. The team has been placed in Group A alongside Australia, South Africa, Bangladesh and the Netherlands, a group that features multiple high-intensity contests from the outset. Ahead of the tournament, the squad will come together for a pre-event camp at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence starting May 10, before travelling to England for a three-match T20I series that will act as preparation.
Harmanpreet Kaur, who is set to take part in her 10th Women’s T20 World Cup and will captain India for the fifth time, will be looking to end India’s long wait for a first-ever T20 World Cup title. After their success in the 50-over World Cup, the captain’s focus now turns to delivering the same kind of breakthrough in the shortest format’s biggest tournament.
T20 World Cup squad
- Harmanpreet Kaur (c)
- Smriti Mandhana (vc)
- Shafali Verma
- Jemimah Rodrigues
- Deepti Sharma
- Richa Ghosh (wk)
- Arundhati Reddy
- Renuka Thakur
- Kranti Gaud
- Shree Charani
- Shreyanka Patil
- Bharti Fulmali
- Yastika Bhatia
- Nandni Sharma
- Radha Yadav
Squad for one-off Test
- Harmanpreet Kaur (c)
- Smriti Mandhana (vc)
- Shafali Varma
- Jemimah Rodrigues
- Pratika Rawal
- Deepti Sharma
- Richa Ghosh (wk)
- Shree Charani
- Yastika Bhatia (wk)
- Nandini Sharma
- Harleen Deol
- Renuka Thakur
- Kranti Gaud
- Sayali Satghare
- Sneh Rana
