The 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup preparations begin as India Women face hosts England Women in a three-match T20I series starting Thursday, May 28. The first match will be held at Essex County Cricket Club in Chelmsford.
England recently defeated New Zealand Women 2-1 in their last series, claiming a decisive seven-wicket win in Hove after restricting New Zealand to just 80 runs in the opening innings.
India, on the other hand, is coming off a tough 4-1 loss against South Africa, which means they are looking to regain form ahead of their quest for a first T20 world title.
ENG W vs IND W: Match Details
| Match | England Women vs India Women, 1st T20I, 2026 |
| Date and Time (IST) | Thursday, May 28, 2026, 11:00 PM (IST) |
| Venue | County Ground, Chelmsford |
| Broadcast and Live-Streaming | Sony Sports (TV), SonyLIV (Streaming – App and Website) |
County Ground, Chelmsford: Pitch Report
The Chelmsford pitch supports both batting and bowling. Batters usually have an edge at the start, while bowlers gain effectiveness as the game continues.
This venue has been favorable for England, who have played 14 T20Is there, winning 12, including two victories over India, the latest in 2021.
ENG W vs IND W: Head-to-Head T20I Record
| Matches Played | 35 |
| Won by ENG W | 24 |
| Won by IND W | 11 |
| Tied / No Result | 0 |
| First Meeting | 05 August 2006 (IND W won) |
| Last Meeting | 12 July, 2025 (ENG W won) |
ENG W vs IND W: Predicted Playing XIs
England Women:
Sophia Dunkley, Alice Capsey, Maia Bouchier, Heather Knight, Freya Kemp, Danielle Gibson, Amy Jones (WK), Charlie Dean (C), Issy Wong, Sophie Ecclestone, Linsey Smith
India Women:
Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Harleen Deol, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh (WK), Shree Charani, Kranti Gaud, Nandni Sharma, Renuka Singh Thakur
ENG W vs IND W: Probable Best Performer of the Match
Probable Best Batter: Harmanpreet Kaur