The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Saturday announced a blockbuster 15-member India squad for T20 World Cup 2026 for women. As usual, Harmanpreet Kaur will captain the side, while Smriti Mandhana will work as her deputy.
The upcoming edition of the Women’s T20 World Cup will be held in England, scheduled for June 12 to July 5. As many as 12 teams, divided into two groups, will be competing for the prestigious title, which was previously won by New Zealand back in 2024.
India are placed in Group A, alongside last edition’s runner-ups South Africa, Pakistan, Australia, Bangladesh and the Netherlands. On the other hand, defending champions New Zealand are in Group B, with hosts England, Ireland, West Indies, Scotland and Sri Lanka.
Players Who Missed Out On India's Squad For T20 World Cup 2026
There have been quite a few popular names who failed to get a place in India’s squad for T20 World Cup 2026. Here, in this article, we take a look at those who won’t be there wearing India’s jersey when the tournament commences.
Pratika Rawal
Pratika Rawal, Smriti Mandhana’s opening partner in India’s successful ODI World Cup campaign last year, could not get a place in India’s squad for T20 World Cup 2026.
The 25-year-old picked up a major ankle and knee injury during the Women’s World Cup 2025 and has been out of action for a while since then. Even though she was fit for the tournament, the BCCI moved on from picking her in the World Cup squad.
Data
WODIS
World Cup 2025
Innings
26
6
Runs
1189
308
Average
47.56
51.33
Strike Rate
82.34
77.77
[Pratika Rawal Stats]
Notably, Pratika has not played a single T20I for India so far. Hence, the BCCI preferred Yastika Bhatia ahead of her, although she is expected to warm the bench, as Shafali Varma and Smriti Mandhana are poised to open for India as first choices.
"We discussed Pratika's name, but decided to go for Yastika's experience. She can keep wickets as well," BCCI's current chairperson for women, Amita Sharma, said at the press conference.
Harleen Deol
One of the major surprises in India’s squad for T20 World Cup 2026 was the absence of Harleen Deol. Even though she has not performed extraordinarily well in the shortest format of the game, her absence from the squad raised many eyebrows.
Harleen’s record for UP Warriorz was not impressive either in WPL 2026, making her case tough in a tournament where her only appearance was in 2023.
Data
WT20Is
WPL 2026
Innings
20
8
Runs
311
167
Average
17.27
23.86
Strike Rate
17.27
115.97
[Harleen Deol Stats]
"We thought Bharti Fulmali would be a better option than Harleen," Amita spoke honestly about the BCCI's move to go beyong Harleen Deol.
A breakout star in recent times who did not make India’s T20 World Cup 2026 squad was Vaishnavi Sharma. The 20-year-old, who made her international debut in December last year, did alright with the ball in hand, coupled with some aggressive nature on the field.
Thanks to her performances, Mumbai Indians picked her in the WPL 2026 squad, replacing G Kamalini.
Data
WT20Is
WPL 2026
Innings
5
3
Wickets
5
1
Average
23.8
48
Economy Rate
6.26
7
[Vaishnavi Sharma Stats]
While ignoring Vaishnavi, the BCCI picked Radha Yadav and Shreyanka Patil as their preferred spinners, along with Deepti Sharma. Keeping in mind that the English conditions will suit pacers more than spinners, the BCCI decided to bolster the pace department in their 15-member unit.
Along with these three, the other notable absentees from India’s T20 World Cup 2026 squad were Pooja Vastrakar, Amanjot Kaur, Kashvee Gautam and Anushka Sharma, among others.
Pratika Rawal (Source: AFP Photos)
