The Indian women’s cricket team is all set to feature in the Asian Games 2026, which will be held in Japan from September 19 to October 4. The Women in Blue won the gold medal during the 2023 Asian Games held in Hangzhou. They got the better of Sri Lanka by 19 runs in a low-scoring final. The BCCI has named a full-strength India Women’s squad for the Asian Games 2026. The team will be captained by regular skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, while experienced opener Smriti Mandhana has been retained as the vice-captain of the side.
The team also features other star players like Richa Ghosh, Shafali Verma and Renuka Singh Thakur.Three players who were part of India’s squad for the Women’s T20 World Cup in England earlier this year do not find a place in the Women in Blue’s Asian Games 2026 squad. Take a look.#1 Jemimah RodriguesExperienced batter Jemimah Rodrigues has been ruled out of the Asia Cup 2026 and the Asian Games 2026 due to injury.
The right-handed batter sustained a right hamstring injury on August 3 while participating in The Hundred in England. The BCCI medical team assessed her at the Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru, and confirmed that she had a high-grade tear.Jemimah had a highly disappointing Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 campaign. In five innings, she only managed 92 runs at an average of 18.40 and a strike rate of 119.48.
Her highest of 34 came off 28 balls
Her highest of 34 came off 28 balls against Australia Women at Lord’s. Jemimah was retired out as she was struggling to find the big hits.Jemimah has played 131 T20I matches in her international career. In 118 innings, she has scored 2,824 runs at an average of 29.41 and a strike rate of 119, with 16 half-centuries. Her best of 76 came off 53 balls against Sri Lanka Women in Sylhet in the 2022 Women’s Asia Cup.
The knock featured 11 fours and one six.#2 Yastika Bhatia Keeper-batter Yastika Bhatia has also not been picked in the India Women’s squad for the Asian Games 2026. G Kamalini was picked up as the back-up wicketkeeper for the competition in place of Yastika. Yastika played four matches for India Women during the Women’s T20 World Cup 2026. In three innings, the left-handed batter scored 41 runs at an average of 13.66 and a strike rate of 117.14.
The 25-year-old scored 23 off 18 balls in the match against Bangladesh Women in Manchester, hitting three fours. The keeper-batter has the experience of 26 T20I matches for the Women in Blue. In 20 innings so far, she has scored 374 runs at an average of 19.68 and a strike rate of 100.80, with one half-century. Yastika’s best T20I score of 54 came off 40 balls against England in Chelmsford in May 2026.
She batted at No. 3 and struck nine
She batted at No. 3 and struck nine fours and a six in her 60-minute knock.#3 Prema Rawat Leg-spinner Prema Rawat also does not find a place in the India Women’s squad for the Asian Games 2026. Rawat joined India’s squad for the 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup as a replacement for Shreyanka Patil. The latter was ruled out of the ICC event in England after suffering an ankle ligament injury in the game against Netherlands in Leeds.
Shreyanka had to be stretchered off the field.Rawat made her T20I debut in the T20 World Cup 2026 clash against South Africa in Manchester. She registered expensive figures of 0-21 from two overs as the Women in Blue lost the match by six wickets, failing to defend a score of 158-7. This is the only T20I match Rawat has played so far.The 24-year-old has represented Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in six matches in the Women’s Premier League.
In three innings, Rawat has claimed three wickets at an average of 20.33 and an economy rate of 10.16. Her best of 2-16 came against Delhi Capitals (DC) at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai.
Source: www.sportskeeda.com
