India women's cricket team seeks blessings at Mahakal temple before T20 World Cup 2026
Synopsis
Fresh off their 2025 ODI World Cup triumph, India's women's cricket squad visited the Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga in Ujjain for the Bhasma Aarti — a ritual that preceded their last title win. With the T20 World Cup starting 12 June in England and India drawn in a brutal Group 1 alongside Australia, the stakes for breaking their T20 title drought have never been higher.
Key Takeaways
Harmanpreet Kaur and eight teammates attended the Bhasma Aarti at Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga , Ujjain , on 16 May .
The team made a similar visit before the 2025 Women's ODI World Cup , which India went on to win.
India are in Group 1 of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 alongside Australia , South Africa , Pakistan , Bangladesh , and the Netherlands .
India open their campaign against Pakistan on 14 June in Birmingham ; their final group game is against Australia on 28 June at Lord's .
India have never won an ICC Women's T20 World Cup; their best finish was runners-up at the 2020 edition in Australia.
Members of the Indian women's cricket team, including captain Harmanpreet Kaur, visited the Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga temple in Ujjain on Saturday, 16 May, attending the sacred Bhasma Aarti to seek divine blessings ahead of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026, which begins in England on 12 June. The visit underlines a tradition the squad has maintained across major tournaments.
Who Visited the Temple
Alongside Harmanpreet, the players who attended the Bhasma Aarti included Arundhati Kirkire, Shafali Verma, Renuka Singh Thakur, Shreyanka Patil, Kranti Goud, Bharti Fulmali, Arundhati Reddy, and Deepti Sharma. After the prayers, the players were formally welcomed by the temple committee.
A Tradition With a Winning Precedent
This is not the first time the Indian women's side has sought blessings at the Mahakal temple before a major ICC event. Players had made a similar visit ahead of the Women's ODI World Cup 2025 — a tournament India went on to win under Harmanpreet's captaincy on home soil. That precedent lends added significance to Saturday's pilgrimage.
India's T20 World Cup Campaign
India are currently training at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru in preparation for the tournament. They have been drawn in Group 1 alongside six-time champions Australia, South Africa, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and the Netherlands — arguably the toughest pool in the competition.
Harmanpreet's side open their campaign against Pakistan on 14 June in Birmingham, before facing the Netherlands (17 June, Leeds), South Africa (21 June, Manchester), Bangladesh (25 June, Manchester), and Australia (28 June, Lord's).
The Elusive T20 Title
India are yet to win an ICC Women's T20 World Cup. Their best finish in the format remains the 2020 Women's T20 World Cup final in Australia, where they finished runners-up. The 2026 edition represents a fresh opportunity to add a maiden T20 global title to the cabinet, coming on the back of the confidence generated by their 2025 ODI World Cup triumph.
The full squad reads: Harmanpreet Kaur (captain), Smriti Mandhana (vice-captain), Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Bharti Fulmali, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh (wk), Sree Charani, Yastika Bhatia (wk), Nandini Sharma, Arundhati Reddy, Renuka Singh Thakur, Kranti Gaud, Shreyanka Patil, and Radha Yadav.
Point of View
Which raises expectations while masking a structural gap: they have never won the shortest-format global title. Group 1 is unforgiving, with Australia, South Africa, and Pakistan all in the same pool. The real test is not spiritual preparation but whether India's batting depth beyond Mandhana and Shafali can hold up against pace-heavy attacks in English conditions. A second consecutive ICC title would cement this generation's legacy; another near-miss would reopen questions about India's T20 conversion rate at the highest level.
NationPress
13 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Indian women's cricket players visited the Mahakal temple?
Captain Harmanpreet Kaur led the visit, joined by Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma, Renuka Singh Thakur, Shreyanka Patil, Arundhati Reddy, Arundhati Kirkire, Kranti Goud, and Bharti Fulmali. The players attended the Bhasma Aarti at the Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga in Ujjain on 16 May.
When does the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 begin?
The ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 is scheduled to begin on 12 June in England. India open their campaign against Pakistan on 14 June in Birmingham.
Which group is India placed in for the 2026 Women's T20 World Cup?
India are in Group 1 alongside six-time champions Australia, South Africa, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and the Netherlands — one of the most competitive pools in the tournament's history.
Have India ever won the ICC Women's T20 World Cup?
No, India have not won the ICC Women's T20 World Cup. Their best result in the format was finishing runners-up at the 2020 edition held in Australia.
What is India's recent ICC title record heading into the 2026 T20 World Cup?
India won the ICC Women's ODI World Cup 2025 on home soil under Harmanpreet Kaur's captaincy. The 2026 T20 World Cup offers the squad a chance to win back-to-back global titles across formats.
