Maiden Call-Up for Anushka, Kashvee & Uma Chetry Return in India’s Squad
India Women’s Squad Announced for 2026 T20I Series Against South Africa
Patiala, 26 March (Sports Desk)
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the 15-member Indian women’s squad for the upcoming five-match T20I series against South Africa, scheduled to begin on April 17 in Durban.
Young batter Anushka Sharma has earned her maiden call-up to the senior team after an impressive performance in the Women’s Premier League (WPL), where she scored 177 runs in seven matches for Gujarat Giants at a strike rate of 129.19.
Wicketkeeper Uma Chetry makes a return to the side, while promising fast bowler Kashvee Gautam has also been included and could make her international T20I debut.
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Harmanpreet Kaur will continue to lead the team.
Key Changes in the Squad:
- Included: Anushka Sharma (maiden call-up), Kashvee Gautam, Uma Chetry
- Dropped: Vaishnavi Sharma, Sneh Rana, G. Kamalini, Amanjot Kaur
- Harleen Deol also misses out after featuring in the recent series against Sri Lanka.
Arundhati Reddy, who was India’s standout bowler during the recent T20I series against Australia (8 wickets in 3 matches), has been retained.
The five-match T20I series will be played as follows:
- First two matches in Durban
- Next two matches in Johannesburg
- Final match on April 27 in Benoni
India currently rank No. 3 in the ICC Women’s T20I rankings, while South Africa are placed fifth. The two teams last faced each other in T20Is in 2024, when the three-match series ended in a 1-1 draw (with one match abandoned).
Both teams are placed in the same group for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026, to be held in England and Wales in June-July.
India Women’s Squad for South Africa T20I Series 2026:
Harmanpreet Kaur (Captain), Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh, Arundhati Reddy, Renuka Thakur, Kranti Gaud, Sree Charani, Shreyanka Patil, Kashvee Gautam, Bharti Fulmali, Uma Chetry, Anushka Sharma
