India chase a first T20 title as the Women’s T20 World Cup begins in England

For the first time in the competition’s history, India arrive at a Women’s T20 World Cup as reigning world champions in another format. Harmanpreet Kaur’s side ended a long wait when they won the 50-over World Cup at home last November, beating South Africa by 52 runs in the Navi Mumbai final. That breakthrough has changed the mood around this group, and the T20 trophy that has eluded them through every edition so far suddenly looks within reach.

The tournament begins on June 12, when hosts England take on Sri Lanka in the opening match at Edgbaston. Twelve teams are split into two groups of six, with 33 matches across seven English venues before the final on July 5. The top two from each group advance to the semi-finals.

India’s road through Group 1

India have been drawn in Group 1 alongside Australia, South Africa, Pakistan, the Netherlands and Bangladesh, comfortably the tougher half of the draw. They open against Pakistan at Edgbaston on June 14, a fixture that carries its own weight regardless of where either side sits. From there they head to Leeds to face the Netherlands on June 17, meet South Africa in Manchester on June 21, play Bangladesh at the same ground on June 25, and close the group stage against Australia at Lord’s on June 28.

It is an unforgiving run. Australia, six-time T20 World Cup winners, sit in the same pool, as do the South Africa side India beat in the 50-over final and will now meet again. Simply getting out of the group will take India most of the way to justifying their billing as contenders.

A squad carrying momentum

Harmanpreet leads a 15-strong group that blends the core of the ODI World Cup win with India’s most destructive T20 hitters. Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma give the top order pace and intent, Jemimah Rodrigues and Harmanpreet hold the middle order together, and Richa Ghosh offers the kind of finishing that decides short-format matches. Deepti Sharma, named player of the tournament at the 50-over World Cup, anchors a spin-heavy attack alongside Radha Yadav, Shree Charani and Shreyanka Patil.

Form heading in has been mixed but encouraging. India beat West Indies in one warm-up before pushing England all the way in the other, losing by five runs despite Ghosh’s 68. Those are the margins that tend to settle knockout cricket, and India will take something from going toe to toe with a host nation on its own patch.

The teams in the way

India are far from the only side with eyes on the trophy. New Zealand arrive as defending champions, having beaten South Africa in the 2024 final, while England carry the pull of home conditions and home crowds. Australia, for all the talk of a changing of the guard, remain the most successful team the tournament has seen and lie directly in India’s path.

What this India side has that earlier ones did not is proof they can win a global event when it counts. The 50-over title was their first across any format, and it answered the question that had trailed them through years of near misses. A T20 crown to sit beside it would cap a remarkable twelve months for the women’s game in India.

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