Harleen Deol’s omission from India’s Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 squad came down to a direct middle-order call, with selection committee chair Amita Sharma saying the panel felt Bharti Fulmali was the better option for the role.
India announced their 15-member squad for the tournament on Saturday, with Harmanpreet Kaur as captain and Smriti Mandhana as vice-captain. Harleen, who was part of India’s ODI World Cup-winning setup last year, was not included in the T20 World Cup squad. She was, however, named in the Test squad, making the decision clearly format-specific.
The debate over Harleen Deol’s selection had a strong recent context. During WPL 2026, UP Warriorz retired her out against Delhi Capitals when she was batting on 47 off 36 balls, with three overs left in a 158-run chase. The decision became one of the major talking points of the tournament because tactical retirements remain rare in cricket.
Harleen responded the next day in the strongest possible way. Against the Mumbai Indians, she scored an unbeaten 64 off 39 balls, hit 12 fours, and guided UP Warriorz to their first win of the season. She was named Player of the Match for that innings. It was a sharp comeback, but it did not change India’s T20 World Cup pecking order.
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Amita Sharma explains Harleen Deol omission
Asked why Harleen was left out, Sharma said India had one middle-order slot, and the selectors preferred Fulmali.
“Harleen ek middle-order mein hamare paas jo slot tha, toh I think mujhe lagta hai ki aur meri team ko bhi ye lagta hai ki Fulmali thoda better option tha,” said Amita Sharma. (For the middle-order slot we had, I think my team and I felt Fulmali was a slightly better option.)
Sharma also pointed out that Harleen had been picked in the Test squad, but said Fulmali was ahead for T20 cricket. “Harleen obviously hamari scheme of things mein hai aur usko hum Test ke liye humne rakha hai. Lekin abhi T20 ke liye Fulmali thoda better option.” (Harleen is obviously in our scheme of things, and we have kept her for the Test. But right now, for T20s, Fulmali was a slightly better option.)
Fulmali’s selection followed a stronger short-form push. She had returned to India’s T20I setup earlier this year and had built her case through the WPL. Her recent WPL numbers gave India a more attacking batting option in the middle order.
Harleen’s broader T20I record also worked against her. She has 298 runs in 26 T20Is at an average of 17.53, with one half-century, and has not been a regular in the format for India for a long period.
The selector’s answer was polite, but the message was clear. Harleen was considered for the middle-order space. India went with Fulmali instead.