India batter Jemimah Rodrigues has made it clear that the Indian women’s team is carrying belief, motivation and unfinished ambition into the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 in England and Wales. With the final set to be played at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground, Rodrigues admitted that the possibility of creating history at the same venue where India’s men lifted the 1983 World Cup remains a huge source of inspiration.
“Kapil Dev and the Indian men’s team won their first-ever World Cup there. We would love to win our first-ever Women’s T20 World Cup there. That would be super cool,” Rodrigues told ICC.
India head into the tournament with renewed confidence after finally winning a major ICC trophy late last year. Rodrigues believes that breakthrough success has changed the mindset within the squad ahead of another global event.
“The monkey is off the back,” she said. “But I don’t think it’s pressure. I think it’s more motivation because now you’ve tasted what it feels like to lift one World Cup. It makes you want one more and then one more and then one more.”
India have often been praised for their fighting spirit in major tournaments and Rodrigues feels the current group has the temperament required to handle pressure moments during the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026.
“I think this team has character. When you want to win big games, you need people with character,” she said. “And that’s why in any situation, I believe our team will find a way to win a match.”
Rodrigues herself enters the tournament after one of the most memorable performances of her career. Her unbeaten 127 against Australia in the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup semi-final helped India pull off a famous chase and eventually lift their maiden world title. But the innings came after a difficult personal phase marked by inconsistency and anxiety.
“I was going through a lot of anxiety, not doing well, got two ducks in the tournament,” Rodrigues admitted. “What I realised is that sometimes all you have got to do is show up because life has a way of making all things work together for good.”
India begins their ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 campaign against arch-rivals Pakistan at Edgbaston on 14 June. Rodrigues still remembers her match-winning effort against Pakistan during the 2023 Women’s T20 World Cup when she guided India home in a tense chase alongside Richa Ghosh.
“I think in 24 balls we needed 41 runs, which in a World Cup is a lot of pressure,” Rodrigues recalled. “And from there we went out and chased it down. I think that was very special for me.”
Led by Harmanpreet Kaur, India are placed in Group 1 alongside Australia, South Africa, Pakistan, Bangladesh and the Netherlands. With confidence high and memories of their recent ICC triumph still fresh, the side will now look to turn another dream into reality at Lord’s.
(Quotes sourced from ICC)
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