3 players from Indian women's cricket team who might not play any match at Asian Games 2026
(Courtesy : BCCI)
Indian women’s cricket team are the favourites going into this tournament.
The women’s cricket event at the Asian Games 2026 will start on September 17. Eight teams will participate in this event. India Women are the defending champions, and they will put their title on the line.
They won the gold medal under Harmanpreet Kaur’s captaincy at the previous edition held in Hangzhou in 2023, defeating Sri Lanka in the final. She will lead the Indian side in this edition as well. India have opted for a strong squad for the tournament.
The likes of Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh, and all the big names will be in action. Team India will play their first game against Japan in the quarter-final on September 18. India are likely to play a maximum of three games if they reach to the final.
Hence, we might not see many changes in the playing XI. That may leave some players from the squad without a game. Here, we will look at the three players who might not get a chance to play at the Asian Games 2026.
Indian women’s cricketers who might not play at Asian Games
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3. Gunalan Kamalini
Gunalan Kamalini has been picked in the squad as a backup wicketkeeper. She replaced Yastika Bhatia in the squad. She is still young, and playing at this level at the age of 18 is a major achievement. She has already made her T20I debut in 2025 and has played one game.
But with Richa Ghosh on the side, she might not get a chance in the Asian Games 2026. Ghosh is a regular face in the T20I side and a key member. Hence, she might not get dropped.
2. Nandni Sharma
Nandni Sharma made her T20I debut in 2026 and played a few matches in the Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 in England. But she couldn’t perform as expected with the ball. She has 7 wickets in 6 T20Is at a higher economy rate of 9.03 for India.
India have the pace options of Renuka Thakur, Kranti Gaud, and Arundhati Reddy, which is why Nandni might not get a chance in the playing XI.
1. Radha Yadav
Radha Yadav is a well-known face in the T20I setup. She has played 91 T20I matches for the Indian women’s team and has taken 106 wickets at an economy rate of 6.65.
She is a good hitter and an excellent fielder. However, with Deepti in the team and Shree Charani ranked No. 1 in T20Is, Radha is likely to miss out on the playing XI.
When will the women’s cricket competition at the Asian Games 2026 begin?
The women’s cricket competition is set to begin on September 17.
Who will lead the Indian women’s cricket team at the Asian Games 2026?
Harmanpreet Kaur will lead India at the Asian Games 2026.
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Karan Rawat is a seasoned cricket writer with a deep passion for the game and over 5 years of experience covering everything that the game can offer. He loves to share the analysis, match reports, and player profiles and tries to bring stories to life with a unique blend of statistics and storytelling. Whether breaking down Test match tactics or capturing the drama of a T20 thriller, Karan's work connects fans with the soul of the sport.