Women In Blue begin T20 World Cup tune-up against Australia

The Indian women’s team will start a key phase of its preparation for the 20-over World Cup later this year when it faces Australia in the first T20 International in Sydney on Sunday (February 15, 2026).

India is touring Australia for a multi-format series, featuring three T20Is and as many ODIs, besides a lone Test (D/N) from March 6 in Perth.

The Harmanpreet Kaur-led Indian side will play its first away series since the 50-over World Cup victory, touring six different cities in Australia.

The first T20I will be played at Sydney Cricket Ground before the action shifts to Manuka Oval in Canberra, and the Adelaide Oval for the second and third matches respectively.

The series will be India’s first T20 engagement this year. India enter the series as world No. 3 with hosts Australia sitting at No. 1 in the ICC women’s T20I team rankings.

The Indians will look to continue the momentum after having won their first-ever ICC trophy in the form of 50-over World Cup and skipper Harmanpreet knows very well the importance of the series.

“We know they (Australia) are a very strong team, they have been playing really good cricket from such a long time and one thing is very clear whenever you go with great mindset and positive approach you can give your best. So our goal would be to bring out our best and play best cricket,” the India skipper said on the eve of the match.

“We are really working hard to achieve all our targets, so ODI World Cup was one of them.

“Before T20 World Cup, every series is important for us. This series is very important for both the teams,” she added.

India have retained majority of their 50-over World Cup-winning stars like Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh and Deepti Sharma. They have also introduced some new names to the squad in the form Vaishnavi Sharma and Sree Charani, courtesy their strong performances in Women’s Premier League, and also recalled Shreyanka Patil and Bharti Fulmali into the squad.

India had a disappointing outing in the last two editions of the T20 World Cup as they lack power-hitting strength in the death overs but Fulmali and Ghosh will lend much-needed impetus on that front.

“WPL has really played a big role to improve women’s cricket and good to see that everybody is in good touch. The conditions are totally different from back home but these conditions always suit us,” Harmanpreet said.

The skipper said the ODI World Cup success will give much-needed confidence to India going into the tour.

“That was a different format and T20 is a different format. But being world champions always give lots of confidence, every time when you step to the ground you have to start from ball one. It’s a different ball game and we are really looking forward to that.

“T20 is something we enjoy playing as a team. Playing against Australia is always fun and we are really looking forward.”

Harmanpreet is also excited to feature in the lone pink ball Test against Australia in Perth starting March 6.

“I played lot of cricket here and always enjoy playing in Australia and it has one of the best cricketing culture we have even seen. Not only me all my teammates love playing in Australia,” she said.

“Multi-format is always exciting. Playing T20S and ODIs is always great, but Test is something we always want to play, and pink ball Test is going to be really exciting.”

Australia, on the other hand, will be desperate to prove a point after they were knocked out by India in the semifinals of last year’s ODI World Cup.

The series also holds great significance for one of Australia’s greatest women cricketers — Alyssa Healy, who will bid adieu to the game after the rubber.

The veteran wicketkeeper-batter had announced her retirement last month, and will be representing her country for the final time during the three ODIs and lone Test against India.

Sophie Molineux, the new multi-format captain, will lead Australia for the first time during the T20Is against India.

A notable omission for Australia is leg-spinner Alana King, who has been dropped.

Teams

India: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana (vc), Shafali Verma, Renuka Thakur, Sree Charani, Vaishnavi Sharma, Kranti Gaud, Sneh Rana, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh, Uma Chetry, Arundhati Reddy, Amanjot Kaur, Jemimah Rodrigues, Bharti Fulmali, Shreyanka Patil.

Australia: Sophie Molineux (c), Ashleigh Gardner (vc), Tahlia McGrath (vc), Darcie Brown, Nicola Carey, Kim Garth, Grace Harris, Phoebe Litchfield, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Georgia Voll, Georgia Wareham.

Match starts at 1:45pm.

Published – February 15, 2026 05:15 am IST