ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup Squad Highlights: Renuka Thakur Returns; Shafali Verma Misses Out

Aus series: Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana, Pratika Rawal, Harleen, Deepti, Rodrigues, Renuka, Arundhati, Richa Ghosh, Kranti Goud, Sayali Satghare, Radha Yadav, Shree Charani, Yashika Bhatia, Sneh Rana

World Cup squad: Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana, Pratika Rawal, Harleen Deol, Deepti Sharma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Renuka Thakur, Arundhati Reddy, Kranti Goud, Amanjot Kaur, Radha Yadav, Yashika Bhatia, Shree Charani, Sneh Rana

World Cup standbys: Tejal Hasabnis, Prema Rawat, Priya Mishra, Uma Chetry, Minnu Mani, Sayali Satghare

Hello and welcome to the live coverage of India's squad announcement for the upcoming Asia Cup that is set to take place in September in UAE.

The BCCI will host two press conferences on Tuesday, August 19, 2025, at its Mumbai headquarters, following key selection meetings for India’s men’s and women’s teams.

The Senior Men’s Selection Committee will pick the squad for the ACC Men’s Asia Cup, with a press briefing featuring the team captain and selection chairman at 1:30 PM IST.

The Women’s Selection Committee will announce squads for the upcoming ODI series against Australia and the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup, with a press conference scheduled at 3:30 PM IST, attended by the captain and committee chairperson.

Fitting Shubman Gill into India’s slick T20 machinery could be the thorniest task facing the national selectors when they meet on Tuesday to finalise the 15-man squad for next month’s Asia Cup in the UAE.

Gill, who has been in sublime touch in red-ball cricket and fresh off a stellar run in England, has not quite found a natural place in the T20 unit that will contest the continental tournament from September 9 to 28. For Ajit Agarkar and his panel, the question is whether to disturb a functioning set-up just to accommodate a big name.

India’s T20 bench strength is overflowing, with almost 30 players capable of walking into the squad. Every position has three or four contenders, especially at the top of the order where at least half a dozen batters of similar pedigree are available.

The BCCI’s senior selection committee is set to finalise India’s Asia Cup 2025 squad in Mumbai on Tuesday, just weeks before the T20 tournament kicks off on September 9 in the UAE. India start their title defence on September 10 against UAE and are in Group A with Pakistan, UAE, and Oman.

With India’s T20 depth, the squad will include current stars and notable omissions. Imagining two full-strength squads:

India XI: Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Suryakumar Yadav (C), Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh.

Alternative XI: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer (C), Shivam Dube, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Varun Chakravarthy, Harshit Rana, Prasidh Krishna.

Packed with rising stars, IPL heroes, and comeback contenders, the second XI could easily challenge the main squad.

India's T20I captain, Suryakumar Yadav, successfully cleared his post-surgery fitness assessment at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (COE) in Bengaluru on August 16, 2025.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) sources confirmed that Yadav completed rehabilitation requirements following his sports hernia surgery. The procedure, addressing his lower-right abdomen, occurred in Munich, Germany, in June 2025.

“Fitness tests are mandatory before Return to Play (RTP) post-surgery. Surya has cleared the fitness test,” PTI quoted a BCCI in the report.

Batters: Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Tilak Varma, Abhishek Sharma, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav (C)

Wicket-keepers: Dhruv Jurel, Jitesh Sharma, Sanju Samson

All-rounders: Washington Sundar, Shivam Dube, Riyan Parag, Axar Patel, Hardik Pandya

Spinners: Varun Chakravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Kuldeep Yadav

Pacers: Prasidh Krishna, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah

Group Stage Fixtures

September 9 (Tuesday): Afghanistan vs Hong Kong (Group B)

September 10 (Wednesday): India vs UAE (Group A)

September 11 (Thursday): Bangladesh vs Hong Kong (Group B)

September 12 (Friday): Pakistan vs Oman (Group A)

September 13 (Saturday): Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka (Group B)

September 14 (Sunday): India vs Pakistan (Group A)

September 15 (Monday): UAE vs Oman (Group A)

September 15 (Monday): Sri Lanka vs Hong Kong (Group B)

September 16 (Tuesday): Bangladesh vs Afghanistan (Group B)

September 17 (Wednesday): Pakistan vs UAE (Group A)

September 18 (Thursday): Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan (Group B)

September 19 (Friday): India vs Oman (Group A)

The BCCI is set to reveal its 15-member squad for the ACC Men’s Asia Cup 2025 on Tuesday, following a key selection meeting in Mumbai. The Senior Men’s Selection Committee will convene at the BCCI headquarters, with the announcement scheduled for 1:30 PM IST on the 4th floor.

India’s bowling selections are shaping up with few uncertainties. Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, and Arshdeep Singh are expected to feature without question, while Harshit Rana is the front-runner for the reserve pacer spot. With Bumrah likely to sit out the West Indies series in October, Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna are ready to fill in as reliable backups.

India’s Asia Cup 2025 Schedule:

• September 10: vs UAE, Dubai

• September 14: vs Pakistan, Dubai

• September 19: vs Oman, Abu Dhabi

Other T20Is Before the World Cup:

• Tour of Australia: 5 T20Is (Oct-Nov 2025)

• Against South Africa: 5 T20Is (Dec 2025)

• Against New Zealand: 5 T20Is (Jan 2026)

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has declared a holiday on Tuesday for all government, semi-government, private, and municipal schools and colleges, as well as BMC offices, except essential services, across Mumbai city and suburbs.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert, warning of extremely heavy rainfall for the next three hours. With continuous downpours, the BMC has urged private offices to allow employees to work from home and avoid unnecessary travel to ensure safety and smooth handling of the situation.

The city is expected to experience rain with temperatures around 28°C, 75% chance of precipitation, 88% humidity, and winds reaching 39 km/h.

Amid heavy rains in Mumbai, India’s T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav has arrived at the BCCI headquarters for the Asia Cup squad selection. The meeting is expected to begin once the other members make it in time.

With two or three spots likely to spark serious debate, the selectors have a tough task ahead in finalising 15 or 17 members Asia Cup 2025 squad. Among the key contenders are pacers Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna and Harshit Rana, while Shreyas Iyer, Rinku Singh, Riyan Parag and Washington Sundar are in the mix for batting and all-round roles. Iyer, in particular, strengthens his case with a stellar IPL season for PBKS, where he amassed 604 runs at a strike rate of 175.07, even though he hasn’t featured in T20Is recently.

Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana have reached the BCCI headquarters as anticipation builds for the announcement of India’s squad for the upcoming ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup.

The selection meeting is yet to commence as BCCI secretary Devajit Sakia's flight has been delayed by bad weather. He is currently on his way to the headquarters.

BCCI Secretary Devajit Sakia has arrived at the headquarters in Mumbai. Press Conference is likely to start soon.

The Selection Committee Meeting for team India AsiaCup squad selection is underway!

The BCCI Press conference for Indian team Asia Cup squad to start at 2:45 PM IST.

Suryakumar Yadav (capt), Shubman Gill (vc), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Sanju Samson, Harshit Rana, Rinku Singh

Stand-bys: Prasidh Krishna, Washington Sundar, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Yashasvi Jaiswal

"Last time when he played T20 post WC, when we went to SL, he was vice-captain. That's where we started new cycle for T20WC. After that we got busy with Test cricket, and he didn't get opportunities. We're happy to have him."

"I don't think there's any written plan. Been a nice break after the England series. Physios, team management been in touch. Clearly we want him available for all the big games. There are WCs, CT, big series like England, Australia - you want him available. Because he's picked up injuries over the last 2-3 years, because of how special and unique it is - it won't change. Based on how he's feeling and how we require him, we hope he's available more often than not"

Stand-bys: Prasidh Krishna, Washington Sundar, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Yashasvi Jaiswal

 "He's always be in the scheme of things. At the moment, we have two mystery spinners/wristspinners in Varun and Kuldeep, and Axar has been around for a while. When we need four spinners - he may always be in the mix. For now, we felt we needed an extra batter in Rinku. And you could only pick 15. If there were 16, maybe he could've been in."

"Post last T20WC, we spoke a lot on how to go about it. We spoke about let's not think of milestones ahead, follow your journey. Been a completely different cricketer post that. The way he performed in the IPL and domestic tournaments he played, he's done really well, has earned his spot again."

"With regards to Yashasvi Jaiswal, I mean it's just unfortunate again.  Abhishek Sharma, what he's done over the last few months or a year or so that he's been with the team. Plus, that he can bowl a little bit gives us an option, if required, by the captain.

One of these guys was always going to miss out. It's just unfortunate that Yash Shishun might have to wait for his chance. With regards to Shreyas, I mean, we can replace that. Again, no fault of his. Nor is it ours. It's just that he can pick 15 and, at the moment, he might have to wait for his chance."

Time for ICC Women's World Cup squad.

"Can't fathom how Iyer misses out from a 20-member long list. (15 squad, five reserves). Maybe they aren't looking at him from a T20 prism. Any selection is about who you like a little more than another, that can be a tipping point sometimes. Maybe Iyer is not liked as someone else is, maybe."

"Shafali played the Australia A series. She's in the system, not like she's not. We've got our eyes on her. Hope she plays a lot more and garners experience, it'll help serve India in the 50-overs format."

"We have Renuka and Kranti [to bowl] in the power play, then have Shree Charani, Deepti and Radha to bowl in the slog overs, Sneh Rana in the middle overs. When didn't want to make a lot of changes, wanted continuity."

"She's one of the important players, she's at CEO, working on a few small niggles. We've rested her for the Australia series so that she can fully be available for the World Cup."

"We've had a lot of coaches come and go. After Amol sir's coming, there's stability within the group. Players are also extremely happy. Support from selectors has to be appreciated too."