India’s young cricketers are all set to showcase their talent and extend their dominance on the global stage as they aim to defend the title in the ICC U-19 Women’s T20 World Cup, which kicks off in Malaysia this Saturday. Competing in Group A alongside the West Indies, Sri Lanka, and hosts Malaysia, India will begin their campaign against the Caribbean team at the Bayuemas Oval on Sunday.
India claimed the inaugural U-19 Women’s T20 World Cup in 2023, held in South Africa, by defeating England in the final with a commanding seven-wicket win.
The tournament’s opening day will feature last year’s semi-finalists, Australia, facing Scotland in Group D. Meanwhile, runners-up England will take on Ireland in Group B. Other matches include Samoa versus Nigeria, Bangladesh against Nepal, Pakistan versus the United States, and New Zealand against South Africa.
This year’s edition, featuring 16 teams, is divided into four groups. The top three teams from each group will advance to the Super Six stage, where the top two from each group will move on to the semi-finals. The tournament will culminate in the final on February 2.
Shafali Verma’s leadership in India’s historic victory over England in the 2023 final marked a significant milestone for women’s age-group cricket. Verma led from the front, while the team, coached by Nooshin Al Khadeer, featured key players like current India senior team member Titas Sadhu, Shweta Sehrawat, and a formidable spin trio of Mannat Kashyap, Parshavi Chopra, and Archana Devi.
With the upcoming ODI World Cup set to take place in India later this year, the Niki Prasad-led squad is eager to make the leap to the senior team. Among the standout players in this young squad is Hyderabad’s Trisha G, whose aggressive batting helped India secure victory in the U-19 Asia Cup just last month. Having been part of the squad two years ago, Trisha is now well-positioned to deliver a strong performance on the global stage.
The team also boasts a strong left-arm orthodox spin attack, with Parunika Sisodia, Sonam Yadav, and Aayushi Shukla emerging as key players during last year’s successful Asia Cup campaign.
India will face stiff competition from teams like England, Australia, and South Africa. This year’s edition also welcomes Samoa, Nigeria, Nepal, and Malaysia, who will be making their ICC tournament debut.
India Squad
Niki Prasad, Sanika Chalke, G Trisha, Kamalini G, Bhavika Ahire, Ishwari Awasare, Mithila Vinod, Joshitha VJ, Sonam Yadav, Parunika Sisodia, Kesari Drithi, Aayushi Shukla, Anandita Kishor, MD Shabnam, Vaishnavi S
Standby Players: Nandhana S, Ira J, Anadi T
Groups
- Group A: India, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, West Indies
- Group B: England, Ireland, Pakistan, United States
- Group C: New Zealand, Nigeria, Samoa, South Africa
- Group D: Australia, Bangladesh, Nepal, Scotland
