There’s a certain kind of hunger that only comes from being close— very close— and still not quite getting there. Harmanpreet Kaur knows that feeling better than most. She’ll be leading India for the fifth time at an ICC Women’s T20 World Cup this June, and if that number carries any weight at all, it should be the weight of accumulated desire. The 2020 final, the 2024 group-stage exit. India have been here before, and they’ve left empty-handed. This time, England beckons— and so does Lord’s, where the final will be played on July 5.

The squad announced by BCCI on May 2 is a blend of battle-hardened experience and genuinely exciting new blood. At its core, it’s a team that knows how to play— the question, as always, will be whether they can produce their best cricket on the biggest days.

The Captain: Still the heartbeat

Harmanpreet doesn’t need an introduction, but she does need a World Cup medal. The hard-hitting middle-order batter and inspirational captain has carried Indian women’s cricket on her back through some of its most defining moments— the 2017 World Cup semifinal 171 against Australia remains one of the greatest knocks in women’s cricket history. She arrives in England knowing this could be among her last opportunities to claim the one prize that’s always eluded her.

“In T20s, powerplay is very important— if you are batting, you have to target runs.” Harmanpreet Kaur on India’s tournament approach.

The squad: experience meets fresh energy

Captain

Batting core

All-rounders & bowling

Four players— Bharti Fulmali, Nandini Sharma, Shree Charani and Kranti Gaud— will be stepping onto the World Cup stage for the very first time. That’s not a weakness; it’s depth. The same squad also travels to England for a three-match T20I series against England ahead of the tournament, which means by the time India face Pakistan on June 14, these debutants will already have English conditions under their belt. Smart planning.

Notably absent from the squad due to injury are Kashvee Gautam and Amanjot Kaur— both would have strengthened India’s bowling options considerably. Their unavailability puts even more responsibility on Deepti Sharma and Renuka Singh to deliver with the ball.

India’s schedule: the road to Lord’s

India are in Group 1, which is— let’s be honest— a proper group of death. Australia (six-time champions), South Africa (runners-up in 2024), Pakistan (always dangerous in a derby), Bangladesh and the Netherlands. Top two qualify for the semifinals.

Here’s how India’s campaign unfolds:

T20 World Cup— Group stage

Semifinals & Final

That final game against Australia on June 28— at Lord’s, no less— could very well decide who tops the group. If India are still in the hunt at that point, expect one of the most electric atmospheres women’s cricket has seen in England in years.

What comes after: A Test at Lord’s

Even if the World Cup campaign ends sooner than hoped, India have something remarkable lined up. On July 10–13, India and England play a one-off Women’s Test at Lord’s— the first women’s Test ever played at the Home of Cricket. The timing is extraordinary: it falls exactly 50 years after England’s Rachel Heyhoe Flint led a side out at the same ground. The squad for that Test includes Pratika Rawal, Harleen Deol, Sneh Rana and Sayali Satghare alongside most of the T20 World Cup core.

Can India finally do it?

The honest answer is: yes, but it won’t be easy. Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma at the top of the order are as destructive an opening pair as any side in the world on their day. Jemimah Rodrigues brings flair and timing that no opposition truly has a formula for. Richa Ghosh can take a match away from any attack in the death overs. The batting is deep enough.

The bowling is where India need to step up. Deepti Sharma‘s off-spin and Renuka Singh‘s pace will carry the bulk of the workload. Radha Yadav and Shreyanka Patil offer genuine variety in spin. And with Arundhati Reddy adding pace, there is a reasonable attack— it just needs to be consistent over five group games in English summer conditions, which can be unpredictable at the best of times.

If there’s one theme running through this campaign, it’s redemption. India came agonizingly close in 2020. They stumbled in 2024. The squad that boards that flight to England this May carries not just cricket kits but unfinished business. And for Harmanpreet Kaur, lifting that trophy at Lord’s wouldn’t just be the crowning moment of her career— it would be one of the great stories in Indian cricket. Full stop.