Smriti Mandhana Urges for Broader Hype Ahead of Women's T20 World Cup 2026

As the Women's T20 World Cup 2026 approaches, Smriti Mandhana, the vice-captain of the Indian women's cricket team, urges for a broader promotion of the tournament rather than focusing solely on the India-Pakistan match. With the opening game set for July 14 at Edgbaston, Mandhana reflects on past encounters and expresses confidence in fan support. However, India's preparations have faced challenges, including a recent series loss to England. The team aims to build on their historic Women's World Cup 2025 victory as they seek their first T20 title.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jun 3, 2026, 16:16 IST

Mandhana Calls for Comprehensive Promotion of the Tournament

Smriti Mandhana, the vice-captain of the Indian women's cricket team, has expressed her concerns regarding the excessive focus on the India-Pakistan match as the Women's T20 World Cup 2026 approaches. She emphasized the need to promote the entire tournament rather than just one specific match. This statement comes ahead of the highly anticipated opening game for both teams, scheduled for July 14 at Edgbaston Cricket Ground in Birmingham. Mandhana reflected on the previous encounter between the two nations at the same venue during the 2022 Commonwealth Games, where a full house was witnessed. "We had a sell-out crowd for the India-Pakistan match at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. I believe we should hype up the T20 World Cup as a whole, not just one match. It’s already generating excitement, and I’m confident many fans will come out to support us. We hope to deliver a great performance for them," Mandhana stated during a post-match press conference following the third T20I against England.

India's Preparations for the Women's T20 World Cup 2026

Challenges in Gaining Winning Momentum

As the Indian women's cricket team gears up for the prestigious tournament, their preparations have not been smooth. They aim to secure their first title in this event while trying to build on the momentum gained from their historic Women's World Cup 2025 victory on home turf. Unfortunately, the team faced setbacks, losing the three-match T20I series against England, which was their last competitive outing before the World Cup. They ended the series with a 2-1 defeat, despite initially leading 1-0 after winning the first match. Earlier, the team also experienced a 4-1 loss to South Africa in a five-match series. However, the squad, led by Harmanpreet Kaur, achieved a significant milestone earlier this year by winning a series in Australia 2-1 and also secured a 5-0 victory against Sri Lanka in December.