ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026: Groups, Full Squads & Expert Tournament Predictions
ICC Women's Cricket · 10th Edition · England & Wales
The Biggest Women's Cricket Tournament is Here — Let's Talk! ☕
Okay, sit down, grab your chai, and let me tell you something exciting. The ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 is already underway and yar, this one is genuinely special. This is the 10th edition of the tournament, it is being hosted across England and Wales, and for the first time ever, a record 12 teams are competing. Women's cricket has never been this big, this competitive, or this exciting to follow. And with the final happening at the legendary Lord's Cricket Ground on July 5 the Home of Cricket you just know this is going to be one for the history books.
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The defending champions are New Zealand they won the 2024 edition in the UAE, beating South Africa in the final. And they are back to defend their crown in Group 2. Meanwhile, Australia six-time winners are entering the tournament without a title since 2020 and are absolutely desperate to end that drought. Then there is India, who crashed out in the group stage in 2024 and have been building quietly ever since. Host nation England are playing at home in front of passionate crowds. Every single team in this tournament has a reason to win. That is what makes the Women's T20 World Cup 2026 so, so good.
Let me walk you through everything the groups, all 12 squads, the key players, the venues, and most importantly, my honest predictions on who lifts the trophy at Lord's. Let us go.
Tournament at a Glance
The Two Groups — Who is Facing Who?
The 12 teams have been split into two groups of six each. Every team plays each other once in a round-robin format. The top 2 teams from each group advance to the semi-finals on June 30 and July 2. The winners meet in the final at Lord's on July 5.
- AustraliaFavourite
- IndiaContender
- South Africa
- Pakistan
- BangladeshQualifier
- NetherlandsDebut
- EnglandHosts
- New ZealandDefending 🏆
- West Indies
- Sri Lanka
- IrelandQualifier
- ScotlandQualifier
Netherlands are making their Women's T20 World Cup debut in 2026 their first appearance at any Women's Cricket World Cup since the 2000 ODI event. Bangladesh, Ireland, and Scotland also earned their spots through the Global Qualifier held in Nepal earlier this year. Women's cricket is growing fast.
All 12 Squads — Every Player You Need to Know
Here are all 12 squads for the tournament. Each team has a 15-player squad. Keep these names saved you will need them when your friends start debating who the best team is.
- Sophie MolineuxCaptain
- Ashleigh GardnerStar
- Ellyse PerryStar
- Beth Mooney
- Tahlia McGrath
- Phoebe Litchfield
- Georgia Voll
- Alana King
- Megan Schutt
- Annabel Sutherland
- Georgia Wareham
- Kim Garth
- Nicola Carey
- Grace Harris
- Lucy Hamilton
- Harmanpreet KaurCaptain
- Smriti MandhanaStar
- Shafali VermaStar
- Jemimah Rodrigues
- Deepti Sharma
- Richa Ghosh (wk)
- Yastika Bhatia
- Renuka Singh
- Radha Yadav
- Shreyanka Patil
- Arundhati Reddy
- Nandani Sharma
- Kranti Gaud
- Bharti Fulmali
- Shree Charani
- Nat Sciver-BruntCaptain
- Sophie EcclestoneStar
- Danni Wyatt-Hodge
- Alice Capsey
- Heather Knight
- Amy Jones (wk)
- Charlie Dean
- Sophia Dunkley
- Lauren Bell
- Freya Kemp
- Lauren Filer
- Issy Wong
- Dani Gibson
- Linsey Smith
- Tilly Corteen-Coleman
- Melie KerrCaptain
- Sophie DevineStar
- Suzie BatesStar
- Brooke Halliday
- Maddy Green
- Polly Inglis (wk)
- Izzy Gaze
- Flora Devonshire
- Georgia Plimmer
- Rosemary Mair
- Jess Kerr
- Lea Tahuhu
- Nensi Patel
- Bree Illing
- Izzy Sharp
- Laura WolvaardtCaptain
- Marizanne KappStar
- Shabnim IsmailReturned
- Tazmin Brits
- Sune Luus
- Sinalo Jafta (wk)
- Chloe Tryon
- Nadine de Klerk
- Ayabonga Khaka
- Nonkululeko Mlaba
- Dane van Niekerk
- Annerie Dercksen
- Kayla Reyneke
- Karabo Meso
- Tumi Sekhukhune
- Fatima SanaCaptain
- Sidra AminStar
- Muneeba Ali (wk)
- Ayesha Zafar
- Aliya Riaz
- Gull Feroza
- Natalia Pervaiz
- Nida Dar
- Diana Baig
- Sadia Iqbal
- Aiman Anwer
- Najiha Alvi
- Tuba Hassan
- Omaima Sohail
- Nashra Sandhu
- Hayley MatthewsCaptain
- Deandra DottinStar
- Stafanie Taylor
- Shemaine Campbelle (wk)
- Aaliyah Alleyne
- Chedean Nation
- Chinelle Henry
- Shabika Gajnabi
- Afy Fletcher
- Karishma Ramharack
- Anisa Mohammed
- Shamilia Connell
- Rashada Williams
- Britney Cooper
- Lee-Ann Kirby
- Chamari AthapaththuCaptain
- Inoka Ranaweera
- Anushka Sanjeewani (wk)
- Vishmi Gunaratne
- Kavisha Dilhari
- Nilakshi de Silva
- Oshadi Ranasinghe
- Sugandika Kumari
- Achini Kulasuriya
- Hasini Perera
- Udeshika Prabodhani
- Harshitha Samarawickrama
- Sathya Sandeepani
- Karishma Nair
- Malsha Shehani
- Nigar Sultana JotyCaptain
- Nahida Akter
- Sharmin Akter Supta
- Sobhana Mostary
- Shorna Akter
- Ritu Moni
- Rabeya Khan
- Fahima Khatun
- Fariha Islam Trisna
- Marufa Akter
- Shanjida Akther Maghla
- Sultana Khatun
- Dilara Akter
- Juairiya Ferdous
- Taj Nehar
- Babette de LeedeCaptain
- Sterre Kalis
- Robine Rijke
- Heather Siegers
- Iris Zwilling
- Isabel van der Woning
- Sanya Khurana
- Caroline de Lange
- Frédérique Overdijk
- Hannah Landheer
- Lara Leemhuis
- Myrthe van den Raad
- Phebe Molkenboer
- Rosalie Lawrence
- Silver Siegers
- Gaby LewisCaptain
- Orla PrendergastStar
- Amy Hunter
- Alice Tector
- Leah Paul
- Arlene Kelly
- Cara Murray
- Alana Dalzell
- Christina Coulter Reilly
- Georgina Dempsey
- Louise Little
- Rebecca Stokell
- Aimee Maguire
- Ava Canning
- Lara McBride
- Kathryn BryceCaptain
- Abtaha MaqsoodStar
- Sarah Bryce (wk)
- Priyanaz Chatterji
- Kirstie Gordon
- Chloe Abel
- Olivia Bell
- Darcey Carter
- Gabriella Fontenla
- Katherine Fraser
- Ailsa Lister
- Maisie Maceira
- Megan McColl
- Rachel Slater
- Pippa Sproul
The 7 Iconic Venues — Where History Will Be Made
Key Players to Watch — These Names Will Win or Lose the Cup
English pitches in June and July can be tricky for batters the ball swings early with the new ball, and spinners get sharp turn later in the innings. Teams with quality spinners like India (Deepti, Radha Yadav) and England (Sophie Ecclestone) will have a natural advantage over teams that rely purely on pace and power hitting. Conditions can be the difference between winning and going home early.
Expert Tournament Predictions — Who Wins the Gold Trophy?
Okay, this is the part everyone is waiting for. Let me give you my honest, no-nonsense predictions for how this tournament plays out, team by team.
The India vs Australia group stage clash at Lord's on June 28 could decide which team tops Group 1 and sets up the easier semi-final path. If you are going to watch one group stage match in this tournament make it that one. Two giants of women's cricket, at the Home of Cricket, with semi-final positioning on the line. That is pure cricket gold.
The Most Anticipated Match — India vs Pakistan at Edgbaston
Let us be honest every cricket fan in South Asia is circling one date on their calendar. June 14, 2026. India vs Pakistan. At Edgbaston, Birmingham. This is the first Group 1 meeting between the two sides and it will set the tone for their entire tournament campaigns. India arrive with the powerplay threat of Shafali and Mandhana. Pakistan will rely on captain Fatima Sana's aggressive leadership and the experience of Sidra Amin and Muneeba Ali. England's Pakistani and Indian diaspora will make Edgbaston feel like the subcontinent. Trust me you do not want to miss this match.
If you push me to call the final, I will say Australia and England meet at Lord's on July 5. Australia have the experience, the batting depth, and they are desperate they have not won a World Cup since 2020 and that hunger is real. England have home advantage, Sophie Ecclestone, and Nat Sciver-Brunt who can single-handedly win matches.
But do not for a single second discount India. A Mandhana-Shafali powerplay on a Lord's flat track, backed by Deepti Sharma's spin India can beat anyone in this tournament. Women's cricket in 2026 is genuinely the closest it has ever been. No team is unbeatable. Every match matters. That is exactly why this tournament is going to be absolutely brilliant to watch.
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