With all eyes on the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026, which is scheduled to be played in England from June 12 to July 5, India Women’s vice-captain Smriti Mandhana recently shared her views on the team’s preparations. With the the India Women cricket team set to play England Women in a bilateral series before the tournament, the Indian top-order batter also shed light on her approach, while also claiming that the fittest team will lay hands on the title.
Most fittest and fresh team will win ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026: Mandhana
Mandhana, who has been prolific with the bat in the national colours of late, claimed that the most fit team will lift the title.
“I just want to do things right. Having said that, the mind is there, but I don’t think we a lot of changes technically, but it’s just about that we maintain our bodies till the Women’s T20 World Cup 2026. So I think the most fittest and fresh team will end up winning the tournament,” the opening batter added.
The top-order batter, who sits fifth on the list of players to have played the most matches in WT20Is (163), will walk into the T20 World Cup 2026 having amassed 4293 runs across 157 innings, boasting a strike rate of 124.63. Moreover, the Women in Blue are coming into the tournament after beating Australia by a 2-1 margin down under in February, followed by a humiliating series defeat against South Africa Women in the Rainbow Nation.
Mandhana claimed that cricket is a game where one starts fresh with every tournament or series. The 29-year-old, while backing her statement, added that the current Indian side is hungry for the title, especially after their maiden Cricket World Cup last year.
“In cricket, it is always about how you start fresh. But more than anything, I feel this team is really hungry. Everyone seems very hungry to do the right things,” Mandhana said.
India Women’s squad for ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026
Harmanpreet Kaur (Captain), Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Jemima Rodrigues, Bharti Fulmali, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh, Shree Charani, Yashika Bhatia, Nandani Sharma, Arundhati Reddy, Renuka Singh, Kranti Gaud, Shreyanka Patil, Radha Yadav.
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