• Harmanpreet Kaur to lead champions in first outing since historic ODI World Cup win • Vaishnavi Sharma and G Kamalini earn maiden T20I call-ups after U-19 heroics • Series opener on Dec 21 in Visakhapatnam; eyes on T20 World Cup 2026 in England
Mumbai, December 11 (Sports Desk)
Buoyed by their maiden ICC Women’s ODI World Cup triumph last month, the Indian women’s cricket team has unveiled a star-studded 15-member squad for the upcoming five-match T20I series against Sri Lanka, marking their return to the shortest format.
Captain Harmanpreet Kaur will helm the side, with Smriti Mandhana as vice-captain, as they gear up for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 in England (June 12–July 5). The series, a crucial bridge between the 50-over glory and T20 ambitions, begins December 21 at the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam, with the final three games shifting to Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram on December 26, 28, and 30.
Squad Highlights
The lineup retains the bulk of the World Cup-winning core that stunned South Africa by 52 runs in the November 2 final at DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai—where Shafali Verma’s 87 and Deepti Sharma’s 5/39 sealed India’s first-ever title. Key performers like Deepti (Player of the Tournament with 25 wickets and 200+ runs) and Shafali (Player of the Match in the final) return, blending firepower with finesse.
Full Squad: Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Smriti Mandhana (VC), Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma, Harleen Deol, Amanjot Kaur, Arundhati Reddy, Kranti Gaud, Renuka Singh Thakur, Richa Ghosh (WK), G Kamalini (WK), Sree Charani, Vaishnavi Sharma.
New Talents and Returns
- Vaishnavi Sharma (19, Left-arm spinner): Earns her T20I debut after a stellar ICC U-19 Women’s World Cup 2025, where she topped the wicket charts with 17 scalps, powering India to back-to-back titles. She replaces Radha Yadav from the last T20I squad.
- G Kamalini (17, WK-Batter): Slots in as backup to Richa Ghosh after smashing 143 runs (third-highest scorer) at the U-19 event, including an unbeaten 56. She steps up for the injured Yastika Bhatia.
- Renuka Singh Thakur: Back after missing the July T20I series against England due to injury, fresh off a breakout ODI World Cup with key breakthroughs.
Dropped from the England series squad: Radha Yadav, Sayali Satghare, and Yastika Bhatia.
India hold a dominant 20-6 head-to-head record against Sri Lanka in T20Is, including a league-stage win at the 2024 World Cup. The visitors, fresh off a lackluster ODI World Cup campaign, will aim to rebound, but Harmanpreet’s charges enter as favorites, riding the wave of their Navi Mumbai heroics.
This bilateral rubber replaces the postponed Bangladesh tour and serves as ideal prep for the expanded 12-team T20 World Cup in England—featuring 33 matches across seven venues, culminating at Lord’s on July 5. With youth injecting dynamism into a battle-tested unit, India eyes another global charge.
