India Announce Squad for 2026 Asian Games; Experienced Harmanpreet Kaur set to lead again. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has already announced the Indian women’s cricket team that will compete in the 2023 Asian Games, with veteran skipper Harmanpreet Kaur leading. India will arrive in Japan as the defending champions, having won gold at the last edition of the Games.
Cricket at the Asian Games will be played in T20 format, and India has retained a 15-member squad that is both familiar and fresh, combining seasoned stars and some of the brightest young cricketing talents. The core of the side has not changed significantly since its disappointing campaign at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in February this year, but Smriti Mandhana has once again been appointed vice-captain.
India Banking on Experience
The senior leadership group, led by Harmanpreet Kaur, who took India to the gold medal in the Hangzhou Asian Games, has been retained on faith by the selectors. Apart from them, the squad has some other notable players like Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, and wicket-keeper Richa Ghosh.
Renuka Singh Thakur will lead the pace department while Shreyanka Patil, Radha Yadav and Deepti Sharma are the spinning options. The squad also features Nandini, the rising pacer who earned her spot in the national setup after some good displays.
Full India Announce Squad for 2026 Asian Games
- Captain: Harmanpreet Kaur
- Vice-Captain: Smriti Mandhana
Squad:
- Harmanpreet Kaur (Captain)
- Smriti Mandhana (Vice-Captain)
- Shafali Verma
- Jemimah Rodrigues
- Deepti Sharma
- Richa Ghosh (WK)
- Harleen Deol
- Amanjot Kaur
- Shreyanka Patil
- Radha Yadav
- Renuka Singh Thakur
- Arundhati Reddy
- Kranti Gaud
- Nandini
- G. Kamalini
Defending Champions Eye Another Gold
Having won the previous Asian Games gold medal, India comes into the tournament as one of the strong contenders. The selectors have stuck with the proven core, backing the team to bounce back on the continental stage after falling short at the Women’s T20 World Cup in 2026.
Having several match-winners with bat and ball, India will start as one of the teams to beat when the tournament commences in Japan’s Aichi-Nagoya in September.
Looking Ahead
Thus, the Asian event will be a golden opportunity for the Indian women’s team to get back on track after their World Cup loss. With an international cast of proven stars and young guns, India has a squad that is balanced enough to challenge for another gold medal.
Harmanpreet Kaur’s side will be hoping to reassert their dominance in a sport which India has ruled at the Asiad level and continue the winning streak for the Indian women’s cricket team.
