India Women aims to erase the scars of the T20 World Cup after ODI title glory

ByTech Word News

The memories of the Women’s ODI World Cup triumph are still fresh. Harmanpreet Kaur taking the catch to dismiss Nadine de Klerk feels like it happened only yesterday; such was the impact and significance of the moment. But that victory is now in the past. India still have unfinished business in the T20 format as they prepare to take part in the Women’s T20 World Cup.

In 2020, Alyssa Healy gave them nightmares in broad daylight at the Melbourne Cricket Ground as Australia beat India in their first ever final in tournament history. In 2024, when the World Cup was held in the United Arab Emirates, India entered as one of the favorites knowing the conditions, but their campaign ended in disappointment as they were eliminated in the group stages.

Meanwhile, in 2023, India had a golden opportunity to beat Australia in the semi-finals, but fell short after stumbling to the death. But all that is now part of history. In the 2017 ODI World Cup, India were destroyed by Anya Shrubsole’s spell from hell at Lord’s, while Deepti Sharma’s untimely no-ball in 2022 denied them a place in the semi-finals.

So there will be hope that if India could put aside years of suffering in ODIs to finally lift the World Cupthey can do the same in T20I as well. It will be India’s first ICC tournament since last year’s World Cup title and expectations will no doubt be high. In fact, the spotlight will probably be much brighter on them than when they last entered the global event.

BAD FORM THAT BETRAYS INDIA?

India has had a mixed ride in the last few months. They started with a sensational 5-0 series win over Sri Lanka at home before following it up with a 2-1 triumph over Australia. The win was particularly special as it marked India’s first bilateral victory over Australia in a decade. Shreyanka Patil, who returned to the international scene during the series, played a key role in the decider in Adelaide and was named Player of the Match.

Since then, however, India has found life to be considerably tougher, struggling for form and consistently falling short of expectations. South Africa handed them a 4-1 defeat as India toured the African nation. The middle order looked fragile throughout the series, often unable to capitalize on the strong starts provided by the top order.

The bowling unit was also below par as the pace trio of Arundhati Reddy, Kranti Goud and Renuka Singh Thakur came under a lot of pressure. Deepti Sharma’s form was another big concern before she returned to her best with a five-wicket haul in the fourth T20I.

India’s struggles continued in the T20I series against England, which they lost 2-1. Nandini Sharma proved to be a major positive after an impressive performance on debut, while Yastika Bhatia also enjoyed a strong comeback after a long injury lay-off. However, the inability to secure the streak remained an issue.

That said, it’s worth recalling that India also lost the ODI series to Australia at home before winning the ODI World Cup last year. They’ve already shown they can react when their backs are against the wall. The question now is whether they can do it again.

CAN SMRITI, HARMAN PROCEED?

If India are to win the FIFA World Cup, their batting line-up will need to step up in a big way. During the series against England, Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma looked noticeably out of form. However, India will be encouraged by the fact that both the batsmen have found runs in the warm-up matches. Mandhana, in particular, has fond memories of England, where she scored her maiden T20I century last year, and is well aware of the demanding conditions.

Yastika Bhatia was the top scorer in the series against England recently and made her comeback with a 31-ball half-century. Jemimah Rodrigues also looked superb, highlighted by a match-winning knock in the series opener against England. Then there is captain Harmanpreet Kaur, who will feature in her 10th Women’s World Cup T20. India will hope that they can draw on their vast experience and lead from the front when it matters most.

Riche Ghosh was just 15 when she made her debut in the Women’s T20 World Cup in 2020. The memories of that heartbreaking final defeat probably haven’t faded. Since then, she has developed into one of India’s most important batsmen and a reliable finisher, renowned for her ability to accelerate under pressure.

Deepti Sharma, meanwhile, has struggled for runs in T20Is in the past few years, but given her experience and all-round value, India will expect her to make a significant contribution when the stakes are highest.

SPIN AND WIN?

While the matches will be played in England and Wales where pace is expected to play a significant role, India should not underestimate the impact their spinners can have. Just remember last year’s series against England. Shree Charani made her debut in this T20I series and won the Player of the Series award. Moreover, if the preliminaries are any indication, spin could once again prove to be the deciding factor, especially against the West Indies.

Shreyanka Patil and Radha Yadav shared all the seven wickets taken in this game. Shreyanka claimed four wickets while all three of Radha’s wickets came the same, including the dangerous Deandra Dottin. A look at some of the other preseason games further underscores the value of rotation. Alana King cleaned up Nat Sciver-Brunt with a sharp arm ball, while Alice Capsey produced a similar delivery to dismiss Beth Mooney.

England’s determination to cultivate spin bowling on increasingly supportive surfaces is evident in the quality of options in their squad, including Sophie Ecclestone, Linsey Smith, Charlie Dean and Capsey. India too has a formidable spin attack. Alongside Shreyanka and Charani, they have experienced Deepti Sharma and Radha Yadav.

While Renuka Singh Thakur, Kranti Goud and Arundhati Reddy are likely to attract a lot of attention given the seam-friendly conditions, India’s spinners could prove equally influential. If the conditions offer even a hint of help, they have the ability to seize key moments and turn matches on their heads.

Overall, India have a team capable of making a deep dent in the tournament. This is a team that has repeatedly demonstrated its ability to bounce back when backed into a corner. Now they have an opportunity to put the heart of 2020 behind them and prove that their ODI World Cup triumph was not a one-off. The challenge before them is to translate their potential into success and establish themselves as a dominant force in limited-overs cricket.

Indian Women’s T20 World Cup Team

Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Bharti Fulmali, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh, Shree Charani, Yastika Bhatia, Nandani Sharma, Arundhati Reddy, Renuka Singh, Kranti Gaud, Shreyanka Patil, Radhadavka Patil

Indian Women’s T20 World Cup Schedule

  • June 14: India Women Vs. Pakistan Women, Edgbaston (Birmingham) – 19:00 IST
  • June 17: India Women Vs. Netherlands Women, Headingley (Leeds) – 19:00 IST
  • June 21: India Women Vs. South Africa Women, Old Trafford (Manchester) – 19:00 IST
  • June 25: India Women Vs. Bangladesh Women, Old Trafford (Manchester) – 19:00 IST
  • June 28: India Women Vs. Australia Women, Lord’s (London) – 19:00 IST

– The end

Issued by:

Saurabh Kumar

Published on:

10 Jun 2026 08:29 IST