Harmanpreet Kaur to lead full-strength Indian women’s squad at Asian Games 2026

2 min readJun 30, 2026 10:05 AM IST

Indian women's squad for 2026 Asian Games was announced on Tuesday. (PTI)

Defending champions India will field a full-strength squad at the 2026 Asian Games, with the BCCI on Tuesday announcing a 15-member women’s team for the multi-sport event, scheduled to be held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, in September.

Harmanpreet Kaur will continue to lead the side, which remains largely unchanged from the one that featured in the recent Women’s T20 World Cup 2026, where India suffered a group-stage exit after losses to South Africa and Australia. Smriti Mandhana has been named vice-captain.

The selectors have shown faith in the core group, retaining regulars like Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh, Sree Charani, and Arundhati Reddy. The only change from the T20 World Cup squad is in the back-up wicketkeeper slot, with Yastika Bhatia making way for G. Kamalini.

Shreyanka Patil, who was ruled out of the Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 due to a severe ankle ligament injury, has found a place in the Asian Games squad. However, her selection is subject to fitness clearance from the BCCI medical team. The off-spinner suffered the injury while chasing a ball in the field during India’s Group A match against the Netherlands, forcing her to be stretchered off the pitch.

India head into the Asian Games as the defending champions, having won the gold medal in the women’s cricket competition at the previous edition in Hangzhou, China.

The women’s cricket tournament at the 2026 Asian Games will feature eight teams and will be played in the T20I format. Japan have qualified automatically as hosts, while India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka secured their berths as ICC full members. China, Malaysia, and Thailand earned their spots through the 2026 Asian Games Qualifier.

Indian women’s squad for 2026 Asian Games

Harmanpreet Kaur (Captain), Smriti Mandhana (Vice-Captain), Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh (WK), G. Kamalini (WK), Bharti Fulmali, Sree Charani, Renuka Thakur, Kranti Gaud, Arundhati Reddy, Shreyanka Patil*, Radha Yadav, Nandni Sharma.

*Subject to fitness clearance