India will head into the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 full of confidence after their historic ODI World Cup triumph last year, with batter Jemimah Rodrigues believing the team has every reason to back itself for another global title.
The tournament begins on June 12 in England, with India opening their campaign against Pakistan in Birmingham. Harmanpreet Kaur’s side has been drawn in a tough Group A alongside Australia, South Africa, Pakistan, Bangladesh and the Netherlands, with only the top two teams advancing to the semifinals.
India’s victory in the 2025 ODI World Cup was a landmark moment for the team, and Rodrigues feels that experience has given the squad a new level of belief heading into another major tournament. “Everyone was a part of it (the ODI World Cup win); they know what pressure feels like and, at the same time, everyone knows that we’ve crossed the line once and can do it again. That belief rubs off,” Rodrigues said on JioStar.
A large number of players from the World Cup-winning squad remain part of the T20 setup, providing valuable experience as India target a second ICC trophy in less than two years. Rodrigues believes that shared success can help both senior players and newcomers deal with the demands of a World Cup.
India have often entered major tournaments as contenders, but Rodrigues feels last year’s achievement has changed how the team views itself. “But when you win one, you don’t want to stop there. You want to make it two, three, however many you can. Our fans make us feel at home wherever we go. So, yes, we are the favourites, no doubt about that,” she said.
Captain Harmanpreet Kaur agreed that winning the ODI World Cup has had a huge impact on the squad and has increased the team’s hunger for more success. “Yeah, 100 per cent. I think everybody will agree with me that life has completely changed after winning our first ODI World Cup. Hopefully, we’ll continue this run of winning trophies. This is what I want as a captain, and I think it’s what everyone in our team has been dreaming of. Hopefully, we’ll continue moving in this direction,” Kaur said.
Head coach Amol Muzumdar believes India are well equipped to handle the expectations that come with being world champions. He praised the commitment shown by the players and said the team has worked hard to build a winning culture over the past few years. “Once you get into the habit of winning a series, it becomes second nature. The team has been working very hard on this for the past month. I’ve never seen a team, irrespective of gender, work so hard and be so dedicated towards one goal,” Muzumdar said.
India will be among the favourites alongside defending champions New Zealand, six-time winners Australia and South Africa, who finished runners-up in 2024. With confidence high and the memory of last year’s World Cup success still fresh, India will be hoping to add a first Women’s T20 World Cup title to their growing list of achievements. Their campaign begins against Pakistan before further group-stage clashes against Bangladesh, the Netherlands, South Africa and Australia as they look to take another step towards global cricketing success.
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