The ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 is officially underway, with England and Sri Lanka contesting the tournament's opening fixture. Attention now shifts to Sunday, 14 June, when Harmanpreet Kaur's India launches its campaign against arch-rivals Pakistan. As is always the case with this fixture, one question dominates the build-up — what should India's strongest playing XI look like?
For head coach Amol Majumdar, the selection is anything but simple, given the depth of options at his disposal. Stepping into that debate, former cricketer and well-known coach Abhishek Nair has laid out the side he believes strikes the best balance. His selection carries several talking points likely to raise eyebrows, the biggest of which is the decision to leave out star pacer Renuka Singh Thakur.
A Fresh Twist at the Top
Speaking on Star Sports' show 'Game Plan', Nair refused to tinker with the opening combination, backing Shefali Verma and vice-captain Smriti Mandhana to set the tone at the top of the order.
The real shake-up came at No. 3. Instead of Jemimah Rodrigues, who usually occupies that slot, Nair pushed for the in-form Yastika Bhatia to bat at first drop. In his blueprint, Yastika slots in at No. 3, Jemimah drops to No. 4, and captain Harmanpreet Kaur takes charge at No. 5.
The Middle and Lower Order Maths
Nair placed explosive batter Richa Ghosh at No. 6, the player he sees bringing the late-overs power hitting and finishing the side needs. Right behind her at No. 7 comes all-rounder Deepti Sharma.
In the lower middle order, Nair faced a straight choice between Bharti Fulmali and Radha Yadav, and he went with Radha. Explaining his reasoning, he said, 'Deepti Sharma will bat at No. 7. After that, there was a choice between Bharti Fulmali and Radha Yadav. The way Radha is batting and the fact that she gives the team a left-arm spin option, I would want to go with her.' In short, it was Radha's dual value — runs with the bat and left-arm spin with the ball — that tipped the scales.
Renuka Sidelined, Three Bowlers Backed
The most striking call in Nair's XI came in the bowling department, where he opted to bench Renuka Singh Thakur. In her place, he handed the attacking responsibility to a trio enjoying a strong year — Arundhati Reddy, Sree Charani and Kranti Goud.
The Three Game-Changers
Nair also singled out three 'X-factors' he believes could swing India's fortunes at this World Cup. He argued that in English conditions the new ball will swing, making Kranti Goud's powerplay bowling potentially decisive for India. His second pick was Sree Charani, whom he rates as the most important link in the Indian bowling attack.
The third X-factor isn't a bowler but a batter — Shefali Verma. According to Nair, Shefali's aggression in the powerplay will buy Smriti Mandhana the time she needs to settle in, allowing India to build a strong, fast start.
Nair's Complete Playing XI
Shefali Verma, Smriti Mandhana, Yastika Bhatia, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur (captain), Richa Ghosh (wicketkeeper), Deepti Sharma, Radha Yadav, Arundhati Reddy, Sree Charani and Kranti Goud.
