The much-anticipated opening clash of the three-match T20 International series between Australia Women and India Women will take place on Sunday 15 February 2026, at the iconic Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).
This night fixture marks the beginning of India’s tour of Australia across formats and sets the tone for what promises to be a highly competitive series between two of the strongest sides in women’s cricket. Australia will look to leverage home advantage under new captain Sophie Molineux, while India will aim to upset the hosts with a balanced combination of batting firepower and bowling depth.
Squads:
Australia Women’s Cricket Team
Sophie Molineux (C), Ashleigh Gardner (VC), Tahlia McGrath (VC), Darcie Brown, Nicola Carey, Kim Garth, Grace Harris, Phoebe Litchfield, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham
India Women’s Cricket Team
Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Smriti Mandhana (VC), Shafali Verma, Renuka Thakur, Sree Charani, Vaishnavi Sharma, Kranti Gaud, Sneh Rana, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh, Uma Chetry, Arundhati Reddy, Amanjot Kaur, Jemimah Rodrigues, Bharti Fulmali, Shreyanka Patil
Players to watch out:
Ashleigh Gardner
A destructive all-rounder who has been one of the standout power-hitters in global T20 leagues. Gardner’s ability to clear boundaries with ease makes her dangerous in the death overs and gives Australia the firepower to post or chase big totals. Her off spin against Indian batters like Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues has proven effective and given a slight edge.
Georgia Voll
Coming off a superb WPL 2026 season, Voll has been in eye-catching form with the bat. In the recently concluded Women’s Premier League, she scored heavily including a vital 79 in the final and formed a massive 165-run partnership with Smriti Mandhana in the WPL final chase. Her strike rate and consistency make her a significant threat at the top of the order.
Smriti Mandhana
Mandhana continues to be the backbone of India’s top order, blending elegance with authority across formats. Fresh off a prolific WPL 2026 season where she scored over 377 runs, Mandhana arrives in strong form and full of confidence. In T20Is, she averages in the mid-30s with a strike rate around 125+, and her record against Australia underlines her big-match pedigree.
Shafali Verma
A fearless power-hitter at the top, Shafali has built a reputation as one of the fastest-scoring openers in women’s T20 cricket, striking at 135+ in T20Is with multiple half-centuries against top sides. In WPL 2026, she delivered several impactful innings, including a fluent 62-run knock, reaffirming her explosive form. Her aggressive match-ups against new-ball seamers and her ability to clear the infield consistently make her a high-impact player capable of swinging momentum within the first six overs.
Pitch:
The SCG track traditionally offers consistent bounce with good carry through the surface, making it batting-friendly but also supportive of seam movement early on. Historically at this venue, teams batting second have had success, especially under lights when dew can come into play.
Weather:
The day is expected to feature considerable cloud cover with a passing shower or two in the morning and early evening, transitioning to breezy conditions later on. Temperatures will be comfortably warm for cricket, with a high around 23 °C and an overnight low near 18 °C .
Fantasy Playing XI:
Georgia Voll, Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana, Harmanpreet Kaur, Richa Ghosh, Ashleigh Gardner, Annabel Sutherland, Tahlia McGrath, Megan Schutt, Sophie Molineux, Renuka Singh Thakur
Match Details:
Date – February 15, 2026
Venue – Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney
Time – 1:45 PM IST
Broadcast – JioHotstar App and website, Star Sports networks TV channels
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