The countdown to the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 is finally over. Less than a year after lifting their maiden ODI World Cup title on home soil, the Indian women’s cricket team will once again chase global glory when the prestigious T20 tournament begins in England and Wales on June 12. Led by captain Harmanpreet Kaur and vice-captain Smriti Mandhana, India enter the competition with confidence and expectations.
Having reached the semi-finals five times and finished runners-up in 2020, the Women in Blue are still searching for their first-ever Women’s T20 World Cup trophy. But now that they have tasted immense success, the deadlock is broken.
The 10th edition of the tournament will feature an expanded format with 12 teams, making it the biggest Women’s T20 World Cup in history.
Women’s T20 World Cup 2026: Tournament Overview
- Tournament: ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026
- Dates: June 12 to July 5, 2026
- Host Nations: England and Wales
- Teams: 12
- Matches: 33
- Venues: 7
- Format: Group Stage followed by Semi-finals and Final
The tournament will be played over 24 days across iconic venues including Lord’s, The Oval, Edgbaston, Headingley and Old Trafford.
Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 Groups
The 12 participating teams have been divided into two groups of six teams each.
Group A
- India
- Australia
- South Africa
- Pakistan
- Bangladesh
- Netherlands
Group B
- England
- New Zealand
- West Indies
- Sri Lanka
- Ireland
- Scotland
India find themselves in a challenging group featuring six-time champions Australia, 2024 finalists South Africa and arch-rivals Pakistan.
India will begin their campaign with the blockbuster clash against Pakistan at Edgbaston before facing the Netherlands, South Africa, Bangladesh and Australia.
Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 Format Explained
Each team will play five group-stage matches against every other side in its group.
The top two teams from each group will qualify for the semi-finals.
- Group A Winner vs Group B Runner-up
- Group B Winner vs Group A Runner-up
The winners of the two semi-finals will advance to the final at Lord’s on July 5.
Can India Win Their First Women’s T20 World Cup?
India enter the tournament with momentum after ending their long wait for an ICC title by winning the Women’s ODI World Cup in 2025.
However, the challenge remains formidable. Australia continue to be the benchmark in women’s cricket, while South Africa, England, New Zealand and the West Indies possess match-winners capable of going all the way.
India’s experienced core comprising Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma and Shafali Verma will be expected to shoulder the responsibility. While the clashes against other sides might not create any problem, the two big group fixtures will be against Australia and South Africa. If India can win any one of them, and don’t lose any other group games, they will enter the semi-finals.
Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 Recap
In Group A, Australia topped the standings with four wins from four matches. New Zealand secured the second semi-final berth, while India narrowly missed qualification after finishing third.
Group B produced a dramatic three-way tie on six points between West Indies, South Africa and England. Net run rate eventually separated the teams, with West Indies and South Africa advancing to the knockouts. New Zealand went on to win the title and arrive in England as defending champions.
Where to Watch Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 Live in India?
Indian fans can watch all Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 matches live on television and digital platforms.
Live Streaming
- JioHotstar
Live Telecast
- Star Sports 1
- Star Sports 1 HD
- Star Sports 2
- Star Sports 2 HD
- Star Sports 3
- Star Sports 3 HD
In addition to English commentary, viewers will also get Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada commentary for all India matches, the tournament opener, semi-finals and final.
JioHotstar will also offer:
- Mobile-first vertical feed
- Multi-cam viewing options
- Sign-language support for India matches
- English and Hindi mobile coverage
Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 Commentary Panel
The tournament will feature a star-studded commentary team that includes former World Cup winners, international captains and renowned broadcasters.
Notable names include Mel Jones, Isa Guha, Ebony Rainford-Brent, Julia Price, Stacy-Ann King, Matthew Hayden, Dinesh Karthik, Carlos Brathwaite, Nasser Hussain, Ian Bishop, Ian Smith, Mithali Raj, Anjum Chopra, Veda Krishnamurthy, Sana Mir and Simon Doull.
The presentation team will feature Charles Dagnall, Natalie Germanos, Jatin Sapru, Kass Naidoo, Alan Wilkins, Laura McGoldrick, Raunak Kapoor and Ali Mitchell.
Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 Venues
The tournament will be played across seven venues:
- Lord’s, London
- The Oval, London
- Edgbaston, Birmingham
- Headingley, Leeds
- Old Trafford, Manchester
- The Rose Bowl, Southampton
- County Ground, Bristol
Full Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 Schedule
| Date | Match | Venue | Time (IST) |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 12 | England vs Sri Lanka | Birmingham | 11:00 PM |
| June 13 | Scotland vs Ireland | Manchester | 3:30 PM |
| June 13 | Australia vs South Africa | Manchester | 7:00 PM |
| June 13 | West Indies vs New Zealand | Southampton | 11:00 PM |
| June 14 | Bangladesh vs Netherlands | Birmingham | 3:30 PM |
| June 14 | India vs Pakistan | Birmingham | 7:00 PM |
| June 16 | New Zealand vs Sri Lanka | Southampton | 3:30 PM |
| June 16 | England vs Ireland | Southampton | 7:00 PM |
| June 17 | Australia vs Bangladesh | Leeds | 3:30 PM |
| June 17 | India vs Netherlands | Leeds | 7:00 PM |
| June 17 | South Africa vs Pakistan | Birmingham | 11:00 PM |
| June 18 | West Indies vs Scotland | Leeds | 7:00 PM |
| June 19 | New Zealand vs Ireland | Southampton | 11:00 PM |
| June 20 | Australia vs Netherlands | Southampton | 3:30 PM |
| June 20 | Pakistan vs Bangladesh | Southampton | 7:00 PM |
| June 20 | England vs Scotland | Leeds | 11:00 PM |
| June 21 | West Indies vs Sri Lanka | Bristol | 3:30 PM |
| June 21 | South Africa vs India | Manchester | 7:00 PM |
| June 23 | New Zealand vs Scotland | Bristol | 3:30 PM |
| June 23 | Sri Lanka vs Ireland | Bristol | 7:00 PM |
| June 23 | Australia vs Pakistan | Leeds | 11:00 PM |
| June 24 | England vs West Indies | Lord’s | 11:00 PM |
| June 25 | India vs Bangladesh | Manchester | 7:00 PM |
| June 25 | South Africa vs Netherlands | Bristol | 11:00 PM |
| June 26 | Sri Lanka vs Scotland | Manchester | 7:00 PM |
| June 27 | Pakistan vs Netherlands | Bristol | 3:30 PM |
| June 27 | West Indies vs Ireland | Bristol | 7:00 PM |
| June 27 | England vs New Zealand | The Oval | 11:00 PM |
| June 28 | South Africa vs Bangladesh | Lord’s | 3:30 PM |
| June 28 | Australia vs India | Lord’s | 7:00 PM |
| June 30 | Semi-final 1 | The Oval, London | 7:00 PM |
| July 2 | Semi-final 2 | The Oval, London | 7:00 PM |
| July 5 | Final | Lord’s, London | 7:00 PM |
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