Batting great, but case for pace! India set for Women’s T20 World Cup

Strengths: Since the last Women’s T20 World Cup in 2024, Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma’s opening partnership has yielded 762 runs at a strike-rate of 150, which is higher than any other pair in women’s T20Is. Their aggression in the Powerplay eases things for the middle order too. In the spin department too, Team India have quality. Left-arm spinner Shree Charani, who made her debut against England last year and picked up 10 wickets to win the Player of the Series award, should lead the spin brigade even as Deepti Sharma is the all-time leading wicket-taker in women’s T20Is with 161 scalps.

Renuka Singh Thakur

Weaknesses: India’s pace bowling department will sorely miss the services of Amanjot Kaur and Kashvee Gautam, out due to back and knee injuries, respectively. Renuka Singh Thakur was not part of India’s 1-2 series defeat to England recently, while the young Kranti Goud, 22, does not have enough experience to exploit the pace-friendly conditions in England. Her economy of 8.36 in 11 T20Is this far means she could end up leaking too many runs upfront.

Opportunities: Chandigarh pacer Nandini Sharma did brilliantly at the Women’s Premier League earlier this year, finishing as the joint-highest wicket-taker with 17 scalps for Delhi Capitals. She’s just three T20Is old, but could emerge as the star of the show if she can carry her EPL form into this tournament. Bharti Fulmali could also step in and make the finisher’s role hers, going by her 40-ball 56 not out (6x4s, 1x6) that saw India beat West Indies by 26 runs in a World Cup warm-up match recently.

Bharti Fulmali

Threats: Team India have three main threats, the first being its inconsistent results over a period of time. Secondly, the team combination is a worry given that Yastika Bhatia returns to the middle-order, in the No. 3 slot which was previously held by Jemimah Rodrigues. Also, big-hitter Richa Ghosh has been ineffective while Fulmali has just come in. Finally, the draw seems India’s biggest threat, considering they are in a six-team group, comprising two powerhouses, Australia and South Africa, from where only two teams will qualify for the semis. This means Harmanpreet Kaur & Co cannot afford a single slip-up in the league phase.

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No. of Women’s T20 World Cup final appearances for India; they lost to Australia in the 2020 final

ARCS Andheri captain Shivam Dube held himself till No. 7 when his team needed 59 in 7.2 overs. It was a tricky situation as the pitch was assisting the spinners at Wankhede.

Batting first, ATMWS posted 150-7. In reply, Dube pulled mightily for sixes to remain unbeaten on 45 off 26 balls (1x4, 5x6) as AA defeated Aakash Tigers Mumbai Western Suburbs (ATMWS) by five wickets with nine deliveries to spare in the first semi-final on Thursday and storm into Saturday’s final.

Former India captain Rahul Dravid showered praise on teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in Kannada during a recent public appearance. Dravid highlighted Sooryavanshi's remarkable rise and described him as a rare talent, urging people not to compare other young players with the teenager.

The former Team India head coach made the comments during the launch of the fifth edition of the Maharaja Trophy T20 tournament in Karnataka on Thursday, June 11. The event marked the beginning of another season of one of the state's premier domestic T20 competitions.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Is a Unique Player - Rahul Dravid Urges Fans to Avoid Comparisons

Rahul Dravid urged coaches and fans not to compare every young cricketer with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. The former India captain said that exceptional talents are rare and should be appreciated for their unique abilities.

"Everyone should not be compared with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. He is a unique player. Such players come very rarely. We should recognise and appreciate that," Dravid said.

Sooryavanshi recently became the youngest player selected for India's men's team at the age of 15. He might break a 36-year-old record held by Sachin Tendulkar, who made his international debut at 16 in 1989.

The left-handed batter earned his call-up after a sensational IPL 2026 season with Rajasthan Royals. He won the Orange Cap with 776 runs at a strike rate of 237.31. The southpaw smashed 72 sixes, surpassing Chris Gayle's previous record.

Sooryavanshi is currently representing India A in the ODI tri-series in Sri Lanka. He scored 14 runs against Sri Lanka A before making 44 off 22 balls against Afghanistan A in a rain-affected match.

We Have to Accept That- Rahul Dravid on Vaibhav Sooryavanshi

Dravid also backed Vaibhav Sooryavanshi to enjoy a successful international career if he continues his rapid development. The former India coach expressed hope that the youngster would carry his domestic form into international cricket and help India win matches in the future.

"He is a special talent and we have to accept that. Hopefully, he continues to perform, goes on to play for India and wins matches for the country," he added.

India will begin their next assignment with a two-match T20I series against Ireland on June 26 and 28 in Belfast. The team will then travel to England for a five-match T20I series.

It's a Great Opportunity for Young Boys to Showcase Their Talent - Rahul Dravid

Rahul Dravid also highlighted the importance of the Maharaja Trophy in Karnataka's cricket structure. He said that the tournament gives young players a valuable platform to perform under pressure and prepare for higher levels of the game.

"I think it's a very important tournament for Karnataka cricket because it gives young boys a great opportunity to showcase their talent. There is a lot of hype around the tournament and significant media coverage, which creates pressure and expectations. That is good for their development because they will face similar situations as they move to higher levels," he said.

The Maharaja Trophy has become an important pathway for players aiming to reach the IPL. Several franchises closely monitor the tournament, and strong performances have helped players earn professional opportunities in recent years.

Afghanistan `A` caused a major upset by eking out a four-run win over star-studded India A via the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method in a rain-marred tri-nation series match here on Thursday. Batting first, India `A` posted a daunting 349/9 in a rain-curtailed 49 overs innings, with Prabhsimran Singh leading the charge with a blazing 84 off 69 balls, supported by half-centuries from captain Tilak Varma (66) and Ruturaj Gaikwad (66). Due to persistent rain intervals, Afghanistan A`s target was revised to 294 runs from 38 overs applying the DLS method.

Following an explosive start by captain Imran (75 not out off 70 balls) and Hassan Eisakhil (34 off 29 balls), Afghanistan kept themselves in the hunt. Bahir Shah (51 off 52 balls), then, joined Imran and the duo took them to 177/2 in 25.5 overs when another spell of rain stopped play. At that stage of the game, Afghanistan were found to be four runs ahead of the par score requirement, which sealed their victory. Earlier, skipper Tilak, vice-captain Ruturaj and opener Prabhsimran made well-timed fifties as India A posted a massive total. Afghanistan bowlers struggled to contain the opposition batters through the India A innings.

India`s run started with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, hammering a 22-ball 44 that contained nine fours. The young left-hander maintained a strike-rate of 200 without even hitting a six, revealing that he is equally adept in finding gaps in the field for boundaries. Sooryavanshi and Prabhsimran added 74 runs for the opening wicket in just 7.1 overs, putting India on course for a big total. Sooryavanshi yet again fell to a bouncer outside the off-stump, this time edging Abdollah Ahmadzai, the most successful Afghan bowler on the day with a five-wicket haul (5/68), to stumper Mohmmad Ishaq while trying a ramp. But India seldom let go that early momentum.

After the short stay of Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran added 79 runs for the third wicket with Gaikwad, who brought up his second successive fifty-plus score of this tournament. Prabhsimran fell to part-timer Imran Mir close to a deserving hundred, but Gaikwad stayed strong to milk 78 runs for the fourth wicket with Tilak, who also made his second fifty in a row. But Gaikwad and Ayush Badoni fell in consecutive balls to Farmanullah Safi (3/85) as India momentarily slipped to 245 for five from 245 for three in the 38th over. But Tilak found an able ally in the aggressive Suryansh Shedge (40, 27b), as the pair added 70 runs for the sixth wicket from just seven overs as India eased past the 300-run mark.

Brief Scores:
India A: 349/9 in 49 overs (Prabhsimran Singh 84, Ruturaj Gaikwad 66, Tilak Varma 66, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi 44; Abdollah Ahmadzai , Farmanullah Safi 3/85). Afghanistan A 177/2 in 25.5 overs (Imran 75 not out, Bashir Shah 51 not out).

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