In a bold move to sharpen India’s depth ahead of the 10th ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 in England and Wales (June 12 to July 5), the BCCI’s Selection Committee has announced the India A squads for a crucial tour of England.
Led by Anushka Sharma in T20s and Harleen Deol in ODIs, these squads will clash with England A in three T20s, starting June 20 and three ODIs from July 1, running parallel to the main World Cup and setting the stage for a one-off Test at Lord’s post-tournament (July 10-13). This comes hot on the heels of India becoming the third team to name their senior T20 World Cup squad, following England (April 28) and New Zealand (April 29), while the senior side warms up with a three-match T20I series against England from May 28 to June 2.
Anushka Sharma, fresh off her international debut in India’s recent 1-4 T20I series loss to South Africa (May 17-27), steps up as T20I captain. The 22-year-old smashed 72 runs across three innings at a strike rate of 102.85 and an average of 24, showing poise under pressure despite South Africa’s dominance, clinched by a 9-wicket rout in the third T20I at Johannesburg’s Wanderers (April 22), plus 6-wicket and 8-wicket wins in the first two. India fought back with a 14-run victory in the fourth at Wanderers (April 25) but fell 23 runs short in the finale at Benoni’s Willowmoore Park (April 27).
India A Women’s T20 Squad:
Anushka Sharma ©, Vrinda Dinesh (VC), G Kamalini (WK), Uma Chetry, Vaishnavi Sharma, Prema Rawat, Purvaja Verlekar, Jintimani Kalita, Saima Thakor, Simran Bahadur, Shweta Sehrawat, Deeya Yadav, Minnu Mani, Shabnam Shakil, and Tanuja Kanwer.
India Women’s One Day Squad:
Harleen Deol ©, Pratika Rawal (VC), Priya Punia, Tanisha Singh, G Kamalini (WK), Uma Chetry (WK), Tejal Hasabnis, Niki Prasad, Prema Rawat, Tanuja Kanwer, Vaishnavi Sharma, Shabnam Shakil, Sayali Satghare, Jintimani Kalita, Saima Thakor
Vrinda Dinesh earns vice-captaincy in T20s, while Pratika Rawal takes the ODI role. Standouts G Kamalini and Vaishnavi Sharma, both recent senior team players, bridge the squads, bringing vital experience. Debut call-ups shine through: Jintimani Kalita in both formats, Tanisha Singh in ODIs, and Purvaja Verlekar in T20s, signalling a fearless youth infusion.
Harleen Deol, overlooked for the senior World Cup squad, grabs the ODI captaincy reins, a nod to her domestic prowess and chance at redemption. With the tour overlapping World Cup fever (June 20-July 4), India A faces immense pressure to perform on English soil, where conditions will test adaptability ahead of the Lord’s Test. This isn’t just preparation, it’s a proving ground for India’s next generation to roar.
As women’s cricket surges globally, these squads embody BCCI’s strategy: blend debutants with battle-tested names to fuel the senior team’s World Cup charge. Expect fireworks from June 20.
I am Yash Tailor, and I believe work should be driven by passion. Therefore, after completing my Engineering, I chose to work in the Cricket industry, my passion. My goal is to reach a stage where I truly enjoy what I do and give my best to every task with energy and purpose.