Harmanpreet Kaur to captain India as BCCI announces Asian Games squad
The Board of Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) announced a 15-member women’s squad for the Asian Games 2026, which will held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, in September 2026. Harmanpreet Kaur will continue leading the T20I team while star batter Smriti Mandhana will be her deputy as India will look to defend their title in the quadrennial continental event.
India’s squad for the 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.
Shreyanka Patil has been added, subject to fitness. The all-rounder was ruled out of the T20 World Cup due to a twisted ankle.
The announcement comes a day after the India women’s cricket team qualified for the Los Angeles Olympics.It appears the BCCI selection committee is backing 35-year-old Harmanpreet Kaur despite India’s early exit in the ongoing Women’s T20 World Cup in England.
India’s women’s team crashed out of the Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 after defeats to South Africa and Australia in the group stage. Questions were raised over Harmanpreet Kaur’s future as captain and whether she would continue leading the side after the disappointing campaign.
The early exit came as a surprise to many, considering India had lifted their maiden ODI World Cup title just last year while playing at home. However, fortunes were not as kind in the latest tournament, with tactical and on-field errors piling up and ultimately sending India out at the group stage.
The Asian Games is set to begin on September 19 at Aichi-Nagoya in Japan. The tournament will end on October 4.
– Ends
