Indian Women's cricket team will be playing their first T20I match of the ENGW vs INDW series tonight at 11.30 pm at Riverside Ground, Chester-le-Street. After their recent success over the England Women's team in the Commonwealth Games semi-finals, India will be feeling confident about their chances against the home team. Former India cricketer, Gargi Banerjee feels the Indian team will have to put runs on the board to have some success against the English team.

"Yes, we have been playing good cricket over the last few seasons, but we have to be consistent on winning games," Gargi Banerjee said in an exclusive interview with Sportz Point. Indian Women's Cricket team, which is currently ranked fourth in ICC T20I rankings, will be full of confidence after winning the silver medal at the recently concluded Commonwealth Games.

Read Also: Bengal Cricket: Sporting Union wants to do something special on 125th anniversary; Khidirpore targets Group-A

However, the former Indian cricketer believes that the Indian women's cricket team lacked partnership in the batting order. Moreover, to keep winning against good teams, they will have to build partnerships throughout the inning. "You can not always win with individual brilliance. We will need one big partnership at the front and then one at the middle which can finish off the inning. We have scored 160-170 in the past (while batting first), but if we can build partnerships we can also look for 200 in the pitch and conditions are good enough to bat," Gargi Banerjee told.

In the bowling line-up, after having a wonderful CWG, Renuka Singh Thakur will surely be the pick of the bowler for India. Meanwhile, Pooja Vastrakar, Sneh Rana, Radha Yadav, Rajeshwari Gayakwad and Simran Dil Bahadur Singh will be the main attractions along with her. In this case, it will be very much interesting to see which combination Indian team management goes with.

According to Gargi Banerjee, "India will have to select the bowling option according to the condition. Moreover, you will have to look at the other attributes they are having. Radha Yadav is an excellent fielder. But, Rajeshwari Gayakwad is more experienced when it comes to bowling. So, you have to choose the right option for the team."

Read Also: England Women vs India Women 1st T20I Full Preview, Probable XIs, Dream11 Team Prediction

In this scenario, the former India cricketer feels, that all-rounders like Deepti Sharma, Pooja Vastrakar and Sneh Rana will hold the key for India. "Deepti will have to bowl well. Pooja needs to support Renuka in the bowling and also she will have to hit those boundaries if needed. Sneh Rana holds the middle for India. She is the perfect all-rounder for us. So, all of them will have to contribute," she expressed.

But with all the permutations and combinations going on for the ENGW vs INDW 1st T20I match, Gargi Banerjee still feels India needs to work on their fielding and running between the wickets.

"Fielding and running between the wickets are the two main factors when you play under pressure. Especially, when you are chasing, batters will have to play fewer dot balls, and convert those ones into twos. Though we have improved as a fielding unit, we need to be better if we want to do well in the pressure situations," Gargi Banerjee added.

England is currently leading the head-to-head battle against India with 17 wins out of the 23 they have played. Gargi Banerjee wished the Indian team all the best for the ENGW vs INDW series as winning away will be crucial for the Indian Women's Cricket team.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India announced the Indian Women's Cricket team squad for the upcoming England tour starting June 28th, 2025.

The Women in Blue will play five T20Is and three ODIs against the England Women's Cricket team.

Harmanpreet Kaur was named the captain of the both squads. Meantime, Smriti Mandhana was named the vice captain of the team. 

Kranti Gaud and Sayali Satghare are a few of the new names in the squad who were not part of the Tri-Nation series-winning squad for India. Shafali Verma returned to the T20I squad after missing out for a few months due to being off form.

Read Also | Most centuries by Indian cricketers in WODIs: No one is catching Smriti Mandhana

Indian Women's Cricket team squad for the England tour

India’s T20I Squad: Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Smriti Mandhana (VC), Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (WK), Yastika Bhatia (WK), Harleen Deol, Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana, Sree Charani, Shuchi Upadhyay, Amanjot Kaur, Arundhati Reddy, Kranti Gaud, Sayali Satghare

India's ODI Squad: Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Smriti Mandhana (VC), Pratika Rawal, Harleen Deol, Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (WK), Yastika Bhatia (WK), Tejal Hasabnis, Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana, Sree Charani, Shuchi Upadhyay, Amanjot Kaur, Arundhati Reddy, Kranti Gaud, Sayali Satghare

India's tour to England full schedule 

With another century in the tri-nation series final against Sri Lanka, Smriti Mandhana now has extended her lead in the list of Indian players with the most centuries in Women's ODIs. The left-handed opener scored a staggering 116 from 101 balls to help India score 342 in the first inning in Colombo.

Here is a list of seven women batters with the most centuries by Indian cricketers in WODIs.

Also Read: Most T20I runs for Indian Women's team: Smriti Mandhana at top

Most centuries by Indian cricketers (WODI)

7. Jaya Sharma | 2 Centuries

Former Indian batter Jaya Sharma was only the second female Indian cricketer to have scored a century in ODI cricket. She smashed two centuries in WODI cricket in her career.

While her first century had come against Pakistan during Women's Asia Cup 2005 in Karachi, she scored another one in a winning effort against Australia in 2007 in Chennai making her the first Indian women to score an ODI century at home.

The left-handed batter could've achieved the milestone a few years before had she converted a couple of nervous 90s into hundreds.

6. Jemimah Rodrigues | 2 Centuries

Jemimah Rodrigues etched her name in the record books with a blistering century as India Women posted 337/9 in 50 overs against South Africa Women in the fifth match of the Women’s Tri-Series 2025 at Colombo.

Rodrigues delivered a sensational knock of 123 runs off just 101 balls, anchoring the middle overs and setting the tone for a massive total. Her innings featured 15 fours and one six, scored at a strike rate of 121.78.

With this century, Jemimah has now joined the elite list of most centuries by Indian cricketers in WODIs. This is also Rodrigues' highest score in Women's ODIs after her 102 against Ireland Women earlier this year.

5. Thirush Kamini | 2 Centuries

Former Indian and Tamil Nadu opener Thirush Kamini played for India at a time when women's cricket wasn't really picking up in the country. Regardless, she did well in her limited opportunities and notched a ton twice in her ODI career that spanned 39 matches and scored 825 runs at an average of 25.78.

Kamini's maiden ODI hundred came in India's win over the West Indies in the 2013 ODI World Cup. She stroked a 146-ball 100 to power India to a total of 284/6 in the first innings. India won that match comfortably and Thirush Kamini was rightfully awarded the POTM award.

4. Punam Raut | 3 Centuries

The diminutive Indian batter Punam Raut was one of the pillars in Indian batting along with Harmanpreet, Smriti, Mithali and Veda Krishnmurthy. Punam has recorded three centuries in women's ODI cricket.

Punam smashed one WODI century at a home venue and two WODI centuries at neutral venues. Her highest score in this format is 109 not out against Ireland Women at Potchefstroom during the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2017.

3. Harmanpreet Kaur | 6 Centuries

Indian Women's Cricket team captain Harmanpreet Kaur is one of the finest batters in Indian women’s cricket history. The right-handed batter has scored six WODI centuries in her career. 

Apart from three home WODI centuries, Harmanpreet also recorded two WODI hundreds at neutral venues and one more at an away venue. Her highest WODI score is 171 not out against Australia Women during the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2017 semi-final.

2. Mithali Raj | 7 Centuries

Former Indian cricketer and captain Mithali Raj (7805 runs) is still the only player to score 6000 and 7000 WODI runs. The leading WODI run-scorer was the previous record holder for most centuries by Indian cricketers in WODIs.

She recorded seven WODI hundreds in her career.

While Mithali scored three WODI centuries at home, the right-handed batter recorded three WODI centuries at neutral venues and one at an away venue. Her highest WODI knock was 125 not out against Sri Lanka Women at Katunayake in 2018.

Also Read: Top 10 fastest centuries in Women's T20Is

1. Smriti Mandhana | 11 Centuries

Indian opening batter Smriti Mandhana is one of the best batters in the modern generation. The left-hander holds the record for most centuries by Indian cricketers in WODIs.

She achieved the record solely in January 2025 after scoring a 70-ball century against Ireland in the final ODI of a three-match series in Rajkot. It was her tenth WODI hundred. 

Mandhana has scored four WODI centuries at home, five WODI centuries in away venues, and two WODI hundreds at neutral venues. By scoring three out of four WODI home centuries in 2024, she also became the first Indian player to record three WODI hundreds in a calendar year.

Her record WODI score is 136 against South Africa Women in the 2024 Bengaluru WODI. 

India won by 23 runs in their second encounter with South Africa in Tri-Nation ODI Series 2025. With a spectacular century from Jemimah Rodrigues and two half centuries from Smriti Mandhana and Deepti Sharma, India posted a huge total of 337 runs, batting first.

They comfortably defended their total in the second innings, restricting South Africa to only 314 runs with a fall of 7 wickets. Amanjot Kaur played a key role in India's bowling attack by taking crucial wickets that helped in collapsing South Africa’s top-order.

India's batting supremacy in the first innings

India lost the toss and were put to bat first, which did not seem to bother them, as the batters completely owned the first inning. Their batting line-up dominated the entire inning till the very last ball. Even though Pratika Rawal and Harleen Deol did not have any luck with the bat today, Smriti Mandhana, on the other hand, gave a steady start to the team.

The queen of consistency, Smriti, scored a much-needed 51 off 63 balls, accompanied by a stunning cameo from Harmanpreet Kaur, who scored 28 runs from 20 balls. The real game changer was Jemimah Rodrigues and her spectacular knock of 123 from 101 balls which led the foundation for India towards a defendable total.

Then came another sensational knock from Deepti Sharma, who scored a classy 93 runs (from 84 balls) and played beautifully till the last over.

A series of powerful batting performances, with blazing boundaries and a solid start led India to this commendable total of 337 runs, which nearly seemed impossible after the fall of early wickets.

Read Also: Most centuries by Indian cricketers in WODIs: Jemimah scores her second WODI ton

Amanjot Kaur shines in India's bowling effort

India made two changes ahead of the game, by handing debut to the left arm spinner, Shuchi Upadhyay, and bringing back Amanjot Kaur in the playing XI. The changes were in the favour of India, especially with Amanjot Kaur’s three-wicket haul.

Kaur picked up three crucial wickets by dismissing the opening pair with an economy less than 7. The early breakthrough was important as Lara Goodall and Tazmin Brits are the key batters and their partnership build-up could have been a trouble for India in the later stage. She also took the game-changer wicket of Annerie Dercksen in the 46th over, who was explosively taking the asking rate down with her batting.

Other players like Deepti Sharma picked 2 major wickets by bowling a tight line and length, and restricting the run-flow. Sree Charani and Pratika Rawal also took a wicket each.

South Africa’s chase in a must-win scenario

South Africa’s captain, Laura Wolvaardt, did not play in today's match, and as a result, Chloe Tryon was handed the captaincy. SA failed to hold momentum in the game, despite great efforts from Annerie Dercksen, who scored 81 runs off 80 balls.

Even though they managed to take up 9 wickets in the first innings, the bowling unit was overall expensive today. Having a target of 338 runs on board required a good start in the second innings which completely fell short. The fall of early wickets led to top-order collapse, causing difficulties in building long-term partnerships.

The 72-runs partnership between Dercksen and Chloe Tryon, and the 67 runs (from 43 balls) knock from the skipper kept them alive in the game, but Indian bowlers sealed the victory towards the end.

Read Also: ICC Anounces Venue and Key Dates for The ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 England

India seals final spot after today's victory, South Africa’s journey ends

India secured their place in the Tri-Nation ODI series final with 3 wins out of 4 matches (6 points total). They will face Sri Lanka in the finals on 11th May, 2025, at R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo.

As for South Africa, another loss today led them to zero points after 3 matches. They will face Sri Lanka in their last match of this series, and winning that will get them to a maximum of 2 points. Therefore, today's match result confirmed South Africa’s Tri-series exit.

Score Summary

IND-W: 337/9 (50) | Jemimah Rodrigues 123; N. de Klerk 9-54-2

SA-W: 314/7 (50) | Annerie Dercksen 81; Amanjot Kaur 9-59-3

Player of the match: Jemimah Rodrigues 

The ICC has officially announced that the Final of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 will be held at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground on 5th July. The news was shared during a special launch event at Lord’s on 1st May.

Alongside this major reveal, it was confirmed that the matches will also be played at other popular venues across England, including Edgbaston, the Hampshire Bowl, Headingley, Old Trafford, The Oval, and the Bristol County Ground.

The tournament is set to kick off on 12th June and will run for 24 days, featuring a total of 33 matches leading up to the highly anticipated final at Lord’s. The complete match schedule is expected to be released soon.

Featuring a record 12 teams, the 2026 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup will be the biggest edition in the tournament’s history. With two more teams than the previous edition, fans can expect fierce competition as the world’s top sides battle it out for the title.

Read Also | Bengal Women's Cricket Exclusive: Two out of two finals, record chase against Haryana, Jhulan Goswami, WPL and more

Qualified Teams for the Women's T20 World Cup 2026

Four additional teams will join them through the Qualifier scheduled next year.

The 12 teams will be split into two groups of six for the group stage, followed by the knockout rounds and finals.

Official Statement

ICC Chairman Jay Shah opened up about the tournament, saying, "The confirmation of venues represents a defining moment as we build towards the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026"

"The sell-out Women’s Cricket World Cup final at Lord’s in 2017 remains a landmark in the rise of the women’s game, and I cannot think of a more fitting stage for the final."

"As we turn our focus to preparing for the tournament, we are excited by the promise of thrilling T20 action that will not only captivate fans here but also serve as a showcase for cricket’s return on the Olympic stage in Los Angeles 2028."

Legacy

Moving on from the most recent edition, hosted by Bangladesh in the UAE in 2024, saw New Zealand claim their first-ever title, defeating South Africa by 32 runs in the final.

The 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup will mark the milestone 10th edition of the tournament, which began in 2009.

India continue their winning run in the Tri-Nation Women's ODI series by defeating South Africa by 15 runs. After posting a daunting total of 276, with a stand out performance from Pratika Rawal scoring 78 of 91 balls, the South Africans came out with intent in the second half.

Tazmin Britz's century gave real hope to the South Africans, but she had to retire hurt due to cramps. The Indian team took crucial wickets during key moments and turned the match in their favor.

India set a strong total with a team effort

India posted a strong total, thanks to a brilliant 78 from Pratika Rawal, who became the fastest to reach 500 ODI runs in women's cricket. Both Harmanpreet Kaur and Jemimah Rodrigues scored 41 runs pushing the total to 276. 

Read Also | Pratika Rawal becomes the fastest to reach 500 ODI runs in women's cricket

For South Africa, Nonkululeko Mlaba was the standout bowler with two wickets. Most of the others took one each, except Sune Luus and Chloe Tryon. However, Annerie Dercksen was quite expensive with the ball, which may have made the difference in the end.

South Africa starts strong but suffers setbacks

Chasing a big target, South Africa's openers came out firing, putting pressure on the Indian bowlers from the start. They made the most of the powerplay and built a strong 140-run stand, putting their team in a good position.

Laura Wolvaardt got a good start before getting out, while Tazmin Brits was in great form, scoring a brilliant century with ease. She got good support from Sune Luus for a while, but Luus’s dismissal came at a tough moment. Things got worse when Brits had to retire hurt due to cramps, with about 100 runs still needed.

The turning point

That moment Brits retired hurt was the turning point of the match as India took full advantage by taking key wickets. Chloe Tryon and Annerie Dercksen tried to keep South Africa in the game with some big hits. But things changed completely in the 48th over when Sneh Rana dismissed both batters and also removed Tazmin Brits, who had returned.

Rana finished with a brilliant five-wicket haul, while Arundhati Reddy, Shree Charani, and Deepti Sharma took one wicket each.

South Africa, despite being in control for most of the chase, lost their last six wickets for just 21 runs and fell short by 15 runs in a match they seemed set to win.

Read Also | Tri-Nation Series 2025: India vs Sri Lanka Women's ODI Match Report | Dominant India registers easy victory on Sri Lankan soil

Post-Match presentations

Sneh Rana was named the Player of the Match for her fantastic fifer. She said she focused on using variations and taking the pace off the ball, just like her captain and the team had advised.

She added that she never gives up and always tries to give her best whenever the team needs her. 

India's captain Harmanpreet Kaur said the team gave their 100% from the very first ball. She highlighted fielding as the key difference, saying they saved at least 20 runs.

She ended by saying she’s very happy with the bowlers, who gave everything to help secure the win.

Match Summary

IND-W: 276/6 (50) | Pratika Rawal 78; Nonkululeko Mlaba 10-55-2

RSA-W: 261 (49.2/50) | Tazmin Brits 109; Sneh Rana 10-43-5