Indian Women’s Team to Defend Title in Nagoya, Japan

Nandini Sharma, a cricketer from Chandigarh, has been selected for the Indian women’s national squad for the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. According to reporting by AP7AM on July 1, 2026, Sharma represents the Union Territory Cricket Association (UTCA) and plays for the Delhi Capitals Women in the Women’s Premier League (WPL).

The selection places Sharma in a squad that enters the competition as the defending champions. India won the gold medal in the previous edition of the games, a status the team seeks to maintain during the upcoming tournament in September 2026, according to AP7AM.

Sharma’s inclusion in the national team marks a progression from regional domestic cricket to the international stage. She has played under the Union Territory Cricket Association of Chandigarh, which manages cricket operations for the city and surrounding union territory.

The player’s professional profile includes a stint with the Delhi Capitals Women. This franchise is part of the Women’s Premier League, the top-tier professional T20 competition in India. The WPL has served as a primary pipeline for domestic players to gain visibility and high-pressure experience before national selection.

The 2026 Asian Games will be hosted in the Aichi and Nagoya regions of Japan. The event is scheduled to take place in September, with cricket serving as one of the featured sports in the multi-sport competition.

India’s women’s team arrives in Japan as the gold medal holder. This previous victory established India as a dominant force in the Asian circuit, creating a precedent of expectation for the 2026 squad.

The selection of a player from the UTCA Chandigarh highlights the role of regional associations in identifying talent outside of the major state hubs. By providing structured competition and coaching at the union territory level, the UTCA has enabled players like Sharma to reach the professional standards required for the WPL and the national team.

The integration of WPL experience into the national squad is a recurring trend in recent Indian selections. The Delhi Capitals Women, where Sharma plays, provide a professional environment that bridges the gap between domestic matches and the international requirements of the Asian Games.

Cricket at the Asian Games differs from standard International Cricket Council (ICC) tournaments in its format and the specific regional rivalry it fosters. For the Indian team, the goal in Nagoya is to secure a second consecutive gold medal, avoiding an upset by other regional competitors who have increased their investment in women’s cricket.

The squad’s preparation for the September event will focus on maintaining the form established during the domestic season and the WPL. The Indian women’s team will face a variety of Asian nations in Nagoya, with the tournament structure designed to determine the region’s top-ranked side.

Sharma’s path from Chandigarh to the Aichi-Nagoya games reflects a broader shift in the Indian cricket ecosystem. The combination of regional support via the UTCA and the commercial platform of the Delhi Capitals has created a more transparent pathway for female athletes to enter the national setup.

The Indian team’s status as defending champions means they will likely be among the top seeds for the group stages of the competition in Japan. This positioning typically provides a more favorable path to the knockout rounds, though it also increases the scrutiny on the squad’s performance.

The 2026 Asian Games represent a significant milestone for the current generation of Indian women cricketers, as they aim to validate the growth of the women’s game through a gold medal win on foreign soil.