India Women to tour South Africa for five T20Is ahead of 2026 Women's T20 World Cup

Cricket South Africa (CSA) confirmed on Tuesday that the South Africa Women’s team will be hosting the Indian contingent for a five-match T20I series in April 2026, a high-intensity clash ahead of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 in England. Top cricketers from both countries are currently busy playing in the Women's Premier League (WPL) 2026.

The action will get underway in Durban, where the city will host the first two games on April 17 and 19. The action then will shift to Johannesburg for back-to-back encounters on April 22 and 25, before the series concludes in Benoni on April 27. CSA’s Director of National Teams and High Performance, Enoch Nkwe, underlined the importance of the series.

“Facing a team of India’s quality so close to a World Cup is exactly what the Proteas Women need at this stage of the preparation. It gives them an opportunity to test themselves against a top-level opponent, fine-tune their combinations and ensure they are executing their plans under pressure. This series will play a key role in sharpening the team’s readiness ahead of the T20 World Cup,” Nkwe said in a statement.

This five-game T20I series will be the Proteas' final official assignment before the T20 World Cup begins on June 12 in England. South Africa and India find themselves in the same group alongside Australia and Pakistan, in addition to a couple of teams who will make their way in after playing the qualifiers.

For India, the South African tour comes after a multi-format tour of Australia in February-March. After wrapping up in South Africa, the Women in Blue are scheduled to travel to England for a three-match T20I series starting in May.

Shreyanka Patil, Bharti Fulmali return to Indian team after prolonged gaps

The BCCI recently announced the squad for the upcoming T20I series against Australia down under. And Shreyanka Patil earned a recall to India’s T20I squad along with Bharati Fulmali, who has been in great touch this WPL.

Patil recently marked a strong comeback after spending 14 months on the sidelines due to injury, making an immediate impact in the Women’s Premier League by claiming her maiden five-wicket haul against Gujarat Giants. Alongside Patil, Bharati Fulmali, meanwhile, also returned to the T20I setup after nearly six years of absence from international cricket, earning a well-deserved recall ahead of the Australia tour.