Why Is Harleen Deol Missing from India Women’s T20 World Cup Squad?

Team India has announced its squad for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai, sticking largely with a settled core while making a few notable omissions ahead of the tournament in England starting in June.

The squad largely sticks with an experienced core, however, there are some notable absentees, including Harleen Deol, Sneh Rana, and Amanjot Kaur. It has sparked debate among fans, especially given Harleen’s recent performances in domestic and franchise cricket.

Why Harleen Deol Is Not In T20 World Cup Squad?

Harleen Deol’s exclusion wasn’t entirely surprising, as selectors made a format-specific call based on team requirements. In the press conference, chief selector Amita Sharma clearly stated that while Harleen remains in India’s plans for the longer format, Bharti Fulmali was a better fit for T20Is at this stage.

Fulmali has impressed recently with her aggressive batting in the Women’s Premier League (WPL), offering a higher strike-rate option suited to modern T20 demands. On the other hand, Harleen has struggled to cement her place in India’s T20I setup and has even been left out of previous T20 squads despite being part of the ODI core.

More to follow…