The India women cricket schedule for 2026 covers six major campaigns a full-format tour of Australia (Feb 15–Mar 6), a five-match T20I series in South Africa (Apr 17–27), three T20Is in England (May 28–Jun 2), the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in England (Jun 12–Jul 5), a historic one-off Test at Lord’s (Jul 10–13), and a return tour of South Africa in December. Harmanpreet Kaur captains the squad throughout, with Smriti Mandhana as vice-captain.
The year is not even half over, and Indian women’s cricket has already played three countries across two continents. A gruelling Australia tour. A 4–1 T20I series loss in South Africa. And now, the biggest stage the team has faced in years: an ICC Women’s T20 World Cup on English soil, ending with a final at Lord’s on July 5.
This is not a standard schedule page. This is a strategic guide every match, every venue, every IST timing, every tactical insight you need to follow India women cricket through its most packed and consequential calendar year.
India Women Cricket Schedule 2026: Quick-View Summary
| Series | Format | Dates | Host |
| Australia tour | 3 T20Is, 3 ODIs, 1 Test | Feb 15 – Mar 6 | Australia |
| South Africa tour | 5 T20Is | Apr 17–27 | South Africa |
| England T20I series | 3 T20Is | May 28 – Jun 2 | England |
| ICC Women’s T20 World Cup | 33 matches, 12 teams | Jun 12 – Jul 5 | England |
| Lord’s Test vs England | 1 Test (4 days) | Jul 10–13 | England |
| ACC Women’s T20 Asia Cup | T20Is | Sep–Oct | TBA |
| India vs Zimbabwe (Home) | 3 ODIs, 3 T20Is | October | India |
| South Africa tour | 1 Test, 3 ODIs, 3 T20Is | December | South Africa |
This india women cricket schedule is the most demanding since the team turned professional. Six bilateral series. One ICC tournament. One Test at Lord’s. And an ACC Asia Cup. Every month matters.
Tour of Australia 2026 The Toughest Opener
India toured Australia from February 15 to March 6, 2026, playing 3 T20Is, 3 ODIs, and 1 Test across five Australian cities the most demanding opener to any women’s bilateral season.
Australia is not just a tough destination. It is a proving ground. India’s india women cricket squad started 2026 by facing the world’s best side in their own backyard on seaming pitches, under day-night floodlights, across Sydney, Canberra, Adelaide, Brisbane, Hobart, and Perth.
Australia Tour Full Fixtures
| Match | Date | Venue |
| Tour Match | Feb 13 | North Sydney Oval |
| 1st T20I | Feb 15 (Sun) | Sydney Cricket Ground |
| 2nd T20I | Feb 19 (Thu) | Manuka Oval, Canberra |
| 3rd T20I | Feb 21 (Sat) | Adelaide Oval, Adelaide |
| 1st ODI | Feb 24 (Tue) | The Gabba, Brisbane |
| 2nd ODI | Feb 27 (Fri) | Bellerive Oval, Hobart |
| 3rd ODI | Mar 1 (Sun) | Bellerive Oval, Hobart |
| Only Test | Mar 6 (Fri) | Perth Stadium, Perth |
What the Australia Tour Really Meant
What most people miss: The Perth Test was India Women’s first Test on Australian soil in years. It was not just about the result. It was about building a red-ball culture in conditions that are entirely foreign fast, bouncy, and unforgiving. The selectors were watching who absorbed pressure and who froze.
Key insight: India navigated three formats in three weeks, across five different cities. That is exactly what the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup schedule demands rapid travel, rapid adaptation, rapid execution. The Australia tour was, in effect, the ultimate preparation lab.
South Africa T20I Series 2026 A Wake-Up Call Disguised as Data
India Women lost the South Africa T20I series 4–1 in April 2026, playing five matches across Durban, Johannesburg, and Benoni. The result exposed powerplay bowling and mid-innings run-scoring gaps ahead of the T20 World Cup.
The india women cricket schedule hit a turbulent patch in April. Five T20Is in South Africa, and India came away with a solitary win.
South Africa T20I Series Full Schedule
| Match | Date | Venue | IST Start Time |
| 1st T20I | Apr 17 (Fri) | Kingsmead, Durban | 9:30 PM |
| 2nd T20I | Apr 19 (Sun) | Kingsmead, Durban | 5:30 PM |
| 3rd T20I | Apr 22 (Wed) | The Wanderers, Johannesburg | 9:30 PM |
| 4th T20I | Apr 25 (Sat) | The Wanderers, Johannesburg | 9:30 PM |
| 5th T20I | Apr 27 (Mon) | Willowmoore Park, Benoni | 5:30 PM |
The Real Story Behind the 4–1 Loss
Here is the counterintuitive take: a 4–1 loss eight weeks before a World Cup is not a crisis it is intelligence.
South Africa, notably, fielded this series without their two most experienced campaigners, Marizanne Kapp and Sune Luus, yet still dominated. That context matters more than the scoreline. India was effectively outplayed by a developing Proteas unit.
The part that should concern the selectors: Powerplay bowling conceded too many runs consistently. In conditions that were flatter and less demanding than England’s swing-friendly tracks, those numbers are a red flag. Against Pakistan and Australia at the World Cup, a leaky powerplay will be punished far more severely.
What India must do now: Analyse the bowling data from overs 1–6 across all five South Africa games. Fix the field placements. Clarify who bowls the first over that one decision could define three of India’s five group games in England.
India Women Tour of England T20I Series 2026 The Final Dress Rehearsal
India play three T20Is in England from May 28 to June 2, 2026, at Chelmsford, Bristol, and Taunton their final preparation series before the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup begins on June 12.
Three matches. Ten days. Possibly the most important bilateral series India will play all year in the context of the india women cricket schedule for 2026.
England T20I Series Full Schedule
| Match | Date | Venue | IST Start Time |
| 1st T20I | May 28 (Thu) | Ambassador Cruise Line Ground, Chelmsford | 11:00 PM |
| 2nd T20I | May 30 (Sat) | Seat Unique Stadium, Bristol | 7:00 PM |
| 3rd T20I | Jun 2 (Tue) | Cooper Associates Ground, Taunton | 11:00 PM |
Why These Three Games Are Not Just Warm-Ups
Bold opinion: Treating these three T20Is as “warm-up games” is the single biggest mistake India could make. England will be at full throttle, playing at home, in conditions they know better than anyone.
The original insight: England will likely experiment with their batting order, masking their actual World Cup XI. India cannot afford the same luxury. These games are about:
- Renuka Singh’s first-over plan can she swing the ball early at English temperatures?
- Smriti Mandhana’s powerplay response she is the axis of India’s top order. How she handles late swing under grey English skies sets the tone for the entire World Cup campaign.
- Deepti Sharma’s role clarity does she bat at 5 or 6? The answer must be locked in before June 12.
Every ball of these three T20Is is high-stakes intelligence.
ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 India’s Full Campaign Guide
The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 is held in England from June 12 to July 5, across seven venues including Edgbaston, Old Trafford, Headingley, The Oval, and Lord’s. India are in Group 1 alongside Australia, South Africa, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and the Netherlands. The final is at Lord’s on July 5.
This is the centrepiece of the india women cricket schedule for 2026. Twelve teams. 33 matches. 24 days. A final at the home of cricket.
India’s Group Stage Schedule (IST)
| Date | Match | Venue | IST Start |
| June 14 (Sun) | India vs Pakistan | Edgbaston, Birmingham | 7:00 PM |
| June 17 (Wed) | India vs Netherlands | Headingley, Leeds | 7:00 PM |
| June 21 (Sun) | South Africa vs India | Old Trafford, Manchester | 7:00 PM |
| June 25 (Thu) | India vs Bangladesh | Old Trafford, Manchester | 7:00 PM |
| June 28 (Sun) | Australia vs India | Lord’s, London | 7:00 PM |
Semi-finals: June 30 and July 2 at The Oval, London
Final: July 5 at Lord’s Cricket Ground, London
Match-by-Match Tactical Breakdown
India vs Pakistan June 14, Edgbaston
The opening game is always the most psychologically loaded. Edgbaston will be packed. The noise will be unlike anything Indian players experience in bilateral cricket. Harmanpreet Kaur’s record in high-pressure chases and her ability to read a run-chase is India’s biggest trump card in this fixture.
India have historically dominated Pakistan in ICC knockout scenarios. But the South Africa series showed vulnerabilities that Pakistan’s seamers particularly Fatima Sana will target. The powerplay with the bat is where this game will be won or lost, not in overs 15–20.
Actionable prediction: India win this, but it will not be comfortable. A score chased off 18–19 overs is the most likely scenario.
India vs Netherlands June 17, Headingley
This is the must-win game on paper. But here is where things go wrong for teams who underestimate smaller nations the Netherlands have improved significantly and will use English conditions far better than India in the powerplay with the ball. Spinners will struggle more here than in Chelmsford or Manchester. India’s pace attack must set the tone in the first 10 overs. Any complacency here, and net run rate which could matter hugely in Group 1 takes a hit.
South Africa vs India June 21, Old Trafford
This is the revenge fixture. India come in off a 4–1 series loss. South Africa come in with confidence and form. Old Trafford pitches tend to be slower than other English venues, which slightly favours India’s spin attack. Deepti Sharma and Shreyanka Patil in tandem on a Manchester surface could be the tactical masterstroke that turns this series narrative around.
Australia vs India June 28, Lord’s
Save this date. This is almost certainly the fixture that decides which team tops Group 1. Australia are the defending champions. Lord’s is the most storied venue in cricket. Both teams will know exactly what they need from this game.
What people think vs reality: Most fans believe India’s biggest threat is Pakistan. The real threat is Australia a team that combines tactical flexibility with individual match-winners. Beth Mooney, Tahlia McGrath, and Ash Gardner in English conditions represent a different challenge from anything India faced in South Africa. India’s spin trio of Radha Yadav, Shreyanka Patil, and Deepti Sharma must collectively outthink the Australian batting lineup in a game that could define the entire campaign.
India Women’s T20 World Cup Squad 2026 Official BCCI Selection
India’s squad for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026, announced by BCCI on May 2, 2026, is led by Harmanpreet Kaur (captain) and Smriti Mandhana (vice-captain). The 15-member squad includes Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh, Radha Yadav, and Renuka Singh Thakur.
Full 15-Member T20 World Cup Squad
Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Smriti Mandhana (VC), Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Yastika Bhatia (WK), Richa Ghosh (WK), Bharti Fulmali, Deepti Sharma, Arundhati Reddy, Renuka Singh Thakur, Sree Charani, Kranti Gaud, Radha Yadav, Shreyanka Patil, Nandini Sharma
The Selector’s Most Discussed Call
Pratika Rawal is absent from the T20I squad despite outstanding recent form. She does, however, feature in the one-off Test squad for England. This is not an oversight it is a deliberate selection philosophy. The BCCI selectors have prioritized strike rotation, power-hitting, and bowling depth in T20s over technical accumulation. Pratika thrives in longer formats. In 20-over cricket under World Cup pressure, the selectors backed experience over potential.
The bold opinion: This is correct. A World Cup in England is not the environment for developing T20 openers. You need people who have been in those pressure situations before.
India Women’s One-Off Test at Lord’s July 10–13, 2026
India Women play a four-day one-off Test against England at Lord’s Cricket Ground from July 10–13, 2026. This is one of the most prestigious fixtures in women’s Test cricket history.
After the World Cup final on July 5, India have just five days before the Lord’s Test begins. The turnaround is physically brutal.
| Match | Dates | Venue |
| Only Test (4 days) | July 10–13, 2026 | Lord’s Cricket Ground, London |
Why This Test Is Bigger Than a Scoreline
Lord’s is not just a cricket ground. It is the place where legends are made, where portraits line the Long Room, where playing conditions demand a specific kind of mental purity that bilateral T20I cricket cannot teach. For India women, a Test win at Lord’s would carry more cultural weight than almost any bilateral result in history.
The Test squad is different: Pratika Rawal, Sneh Rana, Harleen Deol, and Sayali Satghare come in, replacing the pure T20 specialists. This gives the squad a more technically grounded balance suited to four-day red-ball cricket.
Second-Half of the India Women Cricket Schedule 2026
The india women cricket schedule does not pause after England. Three more assignments await before the year ends.
ACC Women’s T20 Asia Cup September/October 2026
India are the most dominant team in women’s Asian cricket, having won the Asia Cup multiple times. The ACC Women’s T20 Asia Cup is also a strategic platform performances here maintain India’s ranking position and sharpen the squad depth that bilateral tours cannot always provide.
India vs Zimbabwe Home Series, October 2026
| Format | Matches | Venue |
| ODIs | 3 | India (TBC) |
| T20Is | 3 | India (TBC) |
The purpose of this series: This is not about Zimbabwe’s threat it is about squad rotation, integrating younger players into pressure environments on home soil, and building match-readiness for the December South Africa tour.
South Africa Return Tour December 2026
| Format | Matches |
| Test | 1 |
| ODIs | 3 |
| T20Is | 3 |
This is the most important series in the second half of the india women cricket schedule for 2026. The December South Africa tour all three formats is part of the ICC Women’s Championship cycle, where every ODI point directly influences India’s pathway to the 2029 Women’s ODI World Cup. India women playing a Test in South Africa overseas is also a rare and significant red-ball cricket moment.
Three Things India Must Get Right Before the World Cup
Most india women cricket schedule articles stop at dates and venues. Here is what actually decides the tournament outcome:
Powerplay bowling under overcast English skies In South Africa, India leaked runs in the first six overs. Renuka Singh and Arundhati Reddy must coordinate as a first-over partnership. Against Australia and Pakistan, powerplay damage is nearly impossible to recover from.
Middle-order finishing at pace Jemimah Rodrigues at 4 and Deepti Sharma at 5 or 6 must function as a partnership, not as individuals. India has historically depended too heavily on the top three. At a World Cup, when those three face pressure or early collapse, the middle order must fire without waiting for an invitation.
Spin adaptation in English conditions This is the most nuanced challenge on the entire india women cricket schedule. English pitches do not grip like Indian tracks. Radha Yadav and Shreyanka Patil must adjust their flight, pace through the air, and trajectory or they will be flat and hittable. The England T20Is in May are the only rehearsal available.
Must-Watch Matches on the India Women Cricket Schedule 2026
| Priority | Match | Date | Why It Matters |
| 1 | India vs Australia | June 28, Lord’s | Likely Group 1 decider |
| 2 | T20 World Cup Final | July 5, Lord’s | The title match |
| 3 | India vs Pakistan | June 14, Edgbaston | ICC tournament opener |
| 4 | South Africa vs India | June 21, Old Trafford | Post-series-loss revenge |
| 5 | Lord’s Test vs England | July 10–13 | Historic red-ball fixture |
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. What is the complete India women cricket schedule for 2026?
Ans. The india women cricket schedule 2026 includes a full-format Australia tour (Feb 15–Mar 6), 5 T20Is in South Africa (Apr 17–27), 3 T20Is in England (May 28–Jun 2), the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup (Jun 12–Jul 5), a Lord’s Test (Jul 10–13), the ACC Women’s Asia Cup (Sep–Oct), home series vs Zimbabwe (Oct), and a South Africa tour (Dec).
Q2. When does India play their first T20 World Cup 2026 match?
Ans. India’s first match in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 is on Sunday, June 14, 2026 against Pakistan at Edgbaston, Birmingham at 7:00 PM IST.
Q3. Where is the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 being held?
Ans. The tournament is hosted in England and Wales from June 12 to July 5, 2026, across seven venues: Edgbaston, Old Trafford, Headingley, Hampshire Bowl, Bristol County Ground, The Oval, and Lord’s (Final).
Q4. Who is captaining India women in 2026?
Ans. Harmanpreet Kaur is captain for both the T20 World Cup and the one-off Test. Smriti Mandhana is vice-captain.
Q5. What group is India in for the Women’s T20 World Cup 2026?
Ans. India are in Group 1 alongside Australia, South Africa, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and the Netherlands.
Q6. What is India’s squad for the Women’s T20 World Cup 2026?
Ans. Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Smriti Mandhana (VC), Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Yastika Bhatia, Richa Ghosh, Bharti Fulmali, Deepti Sharma, Arundhati Reddy, Renuka Singh Thakur, Sree Charani, Kranti Gaud, Radha Yadav, Shreyanka Patil, Nandini Sharma.
Q7. What is India’s result in the South Africa T20I series April 2026?
Ans. South Africa won 4–1. The five-match T20I series was played from April 17–27, 2026, across Durban, Johannesburg, and Benoni.
Q8. When do India women play Australia at the T20 World Cup 2026?
Ans. India face Australia on Sunday, June 28, 2026 at Lord’s Cricket Ground, London the final group-stage match for both teams. IST start: 7:00 PM.
Q9. Is Pratika Rawal in India’s T20 World Cup squad?
Ans. No. Pratika Rawal is not in the T20I squad, but she has been named in India’s one-off Test squad for the Lord’s fixture in July 2026.
Q10. When is India Women’s Test match at Lord’s in 2026?
Ans. India Women play a four-day one-off Test against England at Lord’s from July 10–13, 2026 one of the most prestigious women’s Test fixtures in modern cricket history.
