Bhavika Ahire, Anaadi Tagde to captain India U19 sides in Bengaluru T20 Tri-Series
Synopsis
India are building their 2027 World Cup machine early. With Bhavika Ahire and Anaadi Tagde leading two separate squads packed with WPL signings and 2025 World Cup veterans, the Bengaluru tri-series against Nepal is less a warm-up and more a live selection trial — with a historic three-peat on the line.
Key Takeaways
Bhavika Ahire (wicketkeeper-batter) captains India U19 A ; Anaadi Tagde (seam-bowling all-rounder) leads India U19 B in the tri-series.
The T20 Tri-Series against Nepal U19 runs from 10 to 22 November at the BCCI Centre of Excellence, Bengaluru .
India have won the 2023 and 2025 ICC U19 Women's T20 World Cups and are targeting a three-peat at the 2027 edition co-hosted by Bangladesh and Nepal .
Uma Kashvi , the youngest player ever signed in the WPL (by Delhi Capitals for ₹10 lakh ), is vice-captain of India U19 B.
All players recently featured in the U19 Women's T20 Challenger Trophy in Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh .
The final is scheduled for 22 November ; the tournament uses a double round-robin format.
Wicketkeeper-batter Bhavika Ahire and seam-bowling all-rounder Anaadi Tagde have been named captains of India U19 A and India U19 B respectively for the upcoming T20 Tri-Series against Nepal U19, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced on Monday, 9 November. The tournament serves as a key building block in India's march toward a historic third consecutive ICC U19 Women's T20 World Cup title in 2027.
Tournament Details and Format
The tri-series will be hosted at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru from 10 to 22 November. The competition follows a double round-robin format, with each team facing the other two sides twice before the top two finishers contest the final. India U19 A and India U19 B open proceedings against each other on Tuesday, 11 November.
The subsequent schedule sees India U19 B take on Nepal U19 on 12 November, while India U19 A meet Nepal on 14 November. The second round begins on 16 November with another all-India clash, followed by India U19 B vs Nepal on 18 November and India U19 A vs Nepal on 20 November. The final is scheduled for 22 November.
India U19 A — Bhavika Ahire Leading from the Front
Ahire, who was part of India's 2025 U19 World Cup-winning squad, recently steered the side to victories in the U19 T20 and one-day series against Sri Lanka U19 held in Chennai and Puducherry earlier this year. Promising Mumbai batter Ira Jadhav — herself a standby during the 2025 World Cup campaign — will serve as vice-captain, while Shambhavi Rajput provides wicketkeeping cover.
Other notable inclusions in the India U19 A squad are Nandhana Sridharan and all-rounder Anaadi Tagde — wait, Tagde leads the B side — along with Tanishka Sharma, Riya Bhati, Nidhi Mahto, Ipsita Mondal, Purva Siwach, Mehek Narwase, Maitri Maniar, Julie Kumari, Gauri Goyal, Preeti Kapoor, and Grisha Kataria.
India U19 B — WPL Faces and Rising Stars
Uma Kashvi, who made headlines as the youngest player signed in the Women's Premier League (WPL) when Delhi Capitals acquired her for ₹10 lakh, has been named vice-captain of the B side under Tagde. Ishwari Awarare, a member of the triumphant 2025 U19 World Cup squad, is also part of this unit.
The B squad further features hard-hitting opener Deeya Yadav, batting all-rounder Samaira Raghav — who earned a WPL contract with Gujarat Giants — and two wicketkeepers in Rachita Hatwar and Shreya S. Chawan. All players across both squads are coming off appearances in the U19 Women's T20 Challenger Trophy, held in Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh.
The Bigger Picture: Chasing a Three-Peat in 2027
India are the reigning back-to-back champions, having won the 2023 and 2025 editions of the ICC U19 Women's T20 World Cup. The 2027 edition will be co-hosted by Bangladesh and Nepal — the same nation India face in this tri-series — making the encounter doubly significant as a reconnaissance exercise. This tournament is designed to broaden India's talent pool and stress-test captaincy options well ahead of the global showpiece, with every match doubling as a selection audition.
Point of View
Not a logistical quirk — it effectively doubles the number of players who get competitive exposure before the 2027 World Cup cycle intensifies. The inclusion of WPL-contracted teenagers like Uma Kashvi signals that franchise cricket is already reshaping age-group squad selection. What is worth watching is whether the captaincy experiment — pitching Ahire and Tagde against each other — produces a clear first-choice leader or muddies the succession picture ahead of a tournament India cannot afford to lose at home turf conditions.
NationPress
9 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who will captain India U19 A and India U19 B in the T20 Tri-Series against Nepal?
Wicketkeeper-batter Bhavika Ahire will captain India U19 A, while seam-bowling all-rounder Anaadi Tagde will lead India U19 B. The BCCI announced the appointments on 9 November ahead of the series starting on 10 November in Bengaluru.
Where and when is the India U19 T20 Tri-Series 2024 being played?
The tri-series is being held at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru from 10 to 22 November. It follows a double round-robin format, with the final scheduled for 22 November.
Why is this tri-series important for Indian cricket?
India have won back-to-back ICC U19 Women's T20 World Cups in 2023 and 2025, and are targeting a third consecutive title at the 2027 edition co-hosted by Bangladesh and Nepal. This tri-series is a key preparatory event to identify and develop the next generation of players for that campaign.
Who is Uma Kashvi and why is she significant?
Uma Kashvi is the youngest player ever signed in the Women's Premier League (WPL), having been bought by Delhi Capitals for ₹10 lakh. She has been named vice-captain of India U19 B for the tri-series, underlining her rapid rise in Indian women's cricket.
Which players from the 2025 U19 World Cup squad are part of these squads?
Bhavika Ahire and Ishwari Awarare were part of the 2025 U19 World Cup-winning squad. Anaadi Tagde, Ira Jadhav, and Nandhana Sridharan were standby players for that triumphant campaign and are now part of the tri-series squads.
