The 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup, originally slated to be held in Bangladesh, was relocated to the Middle East due to political unrest and safety concerns. The Indian team, led by Harmanpreet Kaur and vice-captained by Smriti Mandhana, is considered a strong contender for the title. However, India enters the tournament with limited recent match practice, having last played a T20I match in March 2024 against Sri Lanka in Bangladesh.
So far in 2024, India has played only seven T20Is, winning four and losing three. Before the tournament kicks off on October 3 in Dubai, the team will play two warm-up games, facing West Indies on September 29 and South Africa on October 1. India is placed in Group A along with Australia, New Zealand, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.
India has had notable performances in past editions of the Women’s T20 World Cup, finishing as runners-up once and reaching the semifinals twice. This time, they are determined to win their first-ever Women’s T20 World Cup.
‘Whatever it takes’ | ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 TVC launched
Key Player
Deepti Sharma remains a vital component of India’s T20I setup, despite differing opinions on her ideal batting position. As one of the first names on the India XI, Deepti’s versatility in bowling across various phases makes her a go-to player for captain Harmanpreet Kaur, especially in high-pressure situations. Her ability to handle both powerplay and death overs is crucial, and she is expected to be a significant asset in the UAE.
Since January 2022, Deepti has been the leading wicket-taker among Full Members in T20Is, with 73 wickets, the most among players participating in the Women’s T20 World Cup. While her batting stats may not be extraordinary, she is one of the few players to have scored more than 420 runs and taken over 45 wickets in women’s T20Is since the beginning of 2022, accumulating 525 runs in the process.
Her all-round abilities were on full display during the Women’s Hundred, where she represented London Spirit, scoring 212 runs at a strike rate of 132.50 and claiming eight wickets at an impressive economy rate of 6.85, further cementing her status as one of the key players for India.
India’s Squad For Women’s T20 World Cup 2024
Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), Smriti Mandhana (vice-capt), Yastika Bhatia (wk), Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (wk), Pooja Vastrakar, Arundhati Reddy, Renuka Singh, D Hemalatha, Asha Sobhana, Radha Yadav, Shreyanka Patil, Sajeevan Sajana
India’s Fixtures in Women’s T20 World Cup 2024
| Date | Team 1 | Team 2 | Venue | Time (IST) |
| September 29 | India | West Indies (warm-up) | ICC Academy Dubai | 19:30 |
| October 1 | India | South Africa (warm-up) | ICC Academy Dubai | 19:30 |
| October 4 | India | New Zealand (Group A) | Dubai Cricket Stadium | 19:30 |
| October 6 | India | Pakistan (Group A) | Dubai Cricket Stadium | 15:30 |
| October 9 | India | Sri Lanka (Group A) | Dubai Cricket Stadium | 19:30 |
| October 13 | India | Australia (Group A) | Sharjah Cricket Stadium | 19:30 |
Live streaming of Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 in India
Star Sports has the broadcast right of Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 in India. Fans can catch their favourite cricketing stars on Star Sports channels in TV. Live streaming of India’s matches at the Women’s T20 World Cup will be available on Disney+ Hotstar for free.