Preview by AkshayaKrishna Polya
The Women's T20 World Cup 2026 is only a few days away. Most of the teams have finalised their squads and are in the final stages of preparation for the marquee event. Two of the favourites for the tournament - England Women and India Women - will look to get their combinations right when they take on each other in a three-match T20I series, starting on Thursday (May 28) at Chelmsford.
England will be without their captain, Nat Sciver-Brunt. She also missed the previous series against New Zealand. The all-rounder requires a longer recovery from a tear in her left calf that she sustained playing for The Blaze against Warwickshire. The hosts will hope for NSB's availability for the upcoming World Cup.
In Sciver-Brunt's absence, Charlie Dean will lead the side again. She did a wonderful job in the last assignment against the White Ferns at home not too long ago. The three-match ODI series was drawn at 1-1, while the Dean-led unit grabbed the T20I series 2-1. Heading into the series decider in Hove, both teams were dominant in their respective wins. However, the English set-up was too hot to handle for the Kiwis in the final T20I, with them bundling the visitors out for just 80 and then chasing it down with ease.
Danni Wyatt-Hodge missed the NZ series due to personal reasons. She won't be available for the first T20I, but will be back for the second and third T20Is. Charis Pavely has been released to play for Warwickshire, while Maia Bouchier has been retained. Pacer Lauren Filer, who was released from the squad to play for Durham on Wednesday, is expected to return on the match day. The 18-year-old Tilly Corteen-Coleman is a potential debutant in the squad, but she will have to wait for her chances.
In Wyatt-Hodge's absence, the new opening pair of Alice Capsey and Sophia Dunkley has done a decent job, with the former top-scoring for the hosts in the last series.
India toured England last summer as well, and the Women in Blue registered a historic 3-2 series win in the shortest format.
Recently, India travelled to South Africa for a five-match T20I series and were on the receiving end of a Laura Wolvaardt special, going 1-4 down in the assignment.
The visitors had a good practice game ahead of the series opener. Arundhati Reddy, Deepti Sharma, Kranti Gaud and Shreyanka Patil were amongst the wickets to restrict ECB Development Women's XI to just 154/6. Smriti Mandhana started off with a cameo. Shafali Verma scored a fifty. Yastika Bhatia and Bharti Fulmali fell just short of their respective fifties as the Women in Blue made light work of the run chase.
Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur has arrived in the United Kingdom after staying in India longer than the rest of the squad to receive the Padma Shri, the country's fourth-highest civilian honour.
For India, it is about getting their bowling combinations right in foreign conditions. They will be without all-rounders Amanjot Kaur (back injury) and Kashvee Gautam (right knee injury). Hence, Nandani Sharma has received a maiden call-up for the Indian side. The right-arm pacer was the joint-highest wicket-taker in the Women's Premier League earlier this year, picking up 17 wickets for Delhi Capitals.
Coming back into the squad are wicketkeeper Yastika Bhatia and Radha Yadav. Bhatia last played a T20I for India in April 2024 and has been out for a long time with an ACL surgery. Radha has got a chance after a couple of pace-bowling all-rounders missed this tour due to injuries. The spin-bowling all-rounder last featured in the shortest format squad for the visitors was back in 2025 on the England tour.
The battle to watch out for will be Mandhana vs Ecclestone! And don't forget that Lauren Bell was in the same team as the Indian vice-captain in the WPL. India's top six is all but confirmed. They also have many options in the seam department and in the spin unit. On form, the English side looks dangerous, but India will take confidence from the results of their last tour of England. With the WC approaching, this series is a perfect platform to adapt to the English conditions.
Can India maintain their dominance in England, or will the hosts maintain their momentum? To find out, join us at 10 PM IST, 5:30 PM Local Time, on Thursday for its live coverage!