Team India has their task cut out, in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026, when they take on Bangladesh, in their next fixture on Jun 25. The Harmanpreet Kaur-led side lost to South Africa in their last outing, which has diminished their chances of semis qualification, considerably. Now, the best way India can go through is, beat Bangladesh, and then Australia.
But for that, they have to get their best XI players on the park, which somehow hasn’t so far. In the last match, leg-spinner Prema Rawat made her debut, and SA batter targeted her badly. Pace attack looks fragile, and batting did not fire, as they were expected to. Nonetheless, there is still time in hand to make amends. Insidesport takes a look at the predicted IND W playing XI vs BAN W in Women’s T20 World Cup 2026.
Pace attack needs experience
To put things simply, Team India is badly missing its most experienced pacer — Renuka Singh Thakur. She hasn’t played a match since the start of the WC, and hopefully she gets fine in time fir the IND W vs BAN W encounter. Nandni Sharma has picked 2 in 2, while Kranti Gaud and Arundhati Reddy have not picked up any wickets. That is how poor our pace attack has been.
Only Renuka Singh Thakur can uplift this team. She has played 63 matches in her career, and picked up 68 wickets, where her economy is only 6.57. If she is fit, she is in playing XI. Take out any other pacer in her place, hardly matters.
Let Radha Yadav in
You’ve experimented with Prema Rawat, which perhaps was the correct move, but it is high time, you play Radha Yadav in playing XI. She is a good all-rounder and can fill the void of a batter in the latter overs, when perhaps some wickets have fallen. Now that Shreyanka Patil is out of the tournament, why not get an experienced spinner in her place. The 26-year-old has 103 T20I wickets to her name, which should hold some value.
Extra power-hitter needed in backend
Right from no. 3 batter to no. 7 — none of the batter could go going in the IND vs SA match. If one was to combine their numbers and reach a conclusion — they scored 95 in 84 deliveries. That is quite poor, especially when you were 54/1 in 5.3 overs at one stage. So, quite simply, the team is missing a hard-hitter in the middle-order.
And that batter would be Bharti Fulmali for the team. Not that she has done anything exceptional till now, but her WPL numbers show, if anyone can do it, it’s her. IN 18 matches so far, she has scored 316 runs at an average of 31, at a strike-rate of 149. She comes in place of Yastika Bhatia.
Predicted IND W playing XI vs BAN W
Harmanpreet Kaur (captain), Smriti Mandhana (vice-captain), Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Bharti Fulmali, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh, Radha Yadav. Shree Charani, Nandni Sharma, Renuka Singh.
Cricket
EXCLUSIVE: Radha Yadav not to be blamed for twin drops vs SA, ex-IND fielding coach wants her in playing XI
