Abhishek Nayar picks India's playing XI for clash against Pakistan in Women's T20 World Cup

Abhishek Nayar picked a strong Indian playing XI for the Women in Blue's first game in the Women's T20 World Cup 2026 against arch-rivals Pakistan at Edgbaston, Birmingham, on Sunday, June 14.

The former India all-rounder said that Shafali Varma and Smriti Mandhana should open, with Yastika Bhatia coming in at No. 3. In the middle order, he kept the duo of the exuberant Jemimah Rodrigues and captain Harmanpreet Kaur.

"The most obvious one is getting Shafali Varma right on top. You have got vice-captain Smriti Mandhana with her. Yastika Bhatia has actually been doing pretty well. She has been batting at No. 3. So Yastika there, Jemimah Rodrigues at No. 4, and Harmanpreet Kaur at No. 5," he said on Star Sports show 'Game Plan'.

While Nayar had no hesitation in keeping Richa Ghosh at No. 6, he said there is stiff competition for the No. 7 position, with Radha Yadav and Bharti Fulmali being the contenders. However, in the end, the Kolkata Knight Riders' head coach went with Radha for her all-round abilities.

"Richa Ghosh at No. 6. You have got power. Bharti Fulmali is a temptation, but with this team, I would want a finisher as well. So there is a choice between Fulmali and Radha Yadav. The way Radha Yadav has been batting, I would go with a left-arm spinning option," Nayar observed.

Experienced all-rounder Deepti Sharma got the No. 8 slot in Nayar's XI, with Arundhati Reddy, Shree Charani, and Kranti Gaud to follow.

"You have got Deepti Sharma after that, and you have got the three bowlers. I will start with Kranti Gaud at No. 11. Arundhati Reddy is someone the team really likes, and then you have Sree Charani in. So that's my team," he stated.

Nayar opined that Kranti Gaud will have an important role to play during the marquee event as she will bowl with the new ball and can get some help in English conditions. He added that another bowler who could have a crucial role to play is left-arm spinner Sree Charani.

"The obvious one is Kranti Gaud for me because she is going to bowl with the new ball. You know the ball is going to do a bit when you play in England, and capitalizing on the Powerplay is really important in women's cricket. So, for me, Krani plays a critical role, and in that bowling attack, I think someone like Sree Charani is a very important cog for the Indian team," he said.

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Lastly, Nayar mentioned Shafali Verma as another X-factor player, highlighting how important her opening partnerships with Smriti Mandhana would be during the campaign.

"Everyone else obviously is really important, but Shafali Verma. When you look at Powerplay batting, you know that Shafali Verma needs to get going to give Smriti Mandhana the time to settle in and then take charge later on. The Indian team will be looking forward to making sure these three players enter with good form," Nayar elaborated.