Women's T20 WC, 2026 preview

Sri Lanka arrive at the T20 World Cup on the back of five straight wins, albeit on the slower surfaces of Bangladesh and the Caribbean. Their limited experience in SENA conditions - just three matches in New Zealand in this two-year cycle - makes them one of the tournament's trickier sides to assess. A youthful squad, without veteran spinner Inoka Ranaweera, adds another layer of intrigue as they look to break new ground in a competition where they have never progressed beyond the group stage, reports Cricbuzz.

Meanwhile, the current T20 World Cup cycle has been one of remarkable consistency for Ireland. Having missed out on qualifying for the 2024 edition, they have turned a corner with a string of wins and arrive in England with renewed hope - plus a 0-16 record in T20 World Cups to overturn, although familiarity with conditions on the back of domestic cricket experience in England ought to help.

A clean sweep of the Europe Division 1 Qualifier was followed by a largely smooth run at the Global Qualifier in Nepal where they secured their berth for the marquee event. Whitewashes in Bangladesh and at home against Zimbabwe at the start of the cycle set the tone for what was to follow, while a historic 2-1 series win over Pakistan last August was an indicator of the strides taken. Ireland have used just 20 players in T20Is this cycle, reflective of a settled look to their squad, although matches against the heavyweights have been few and far between.

Meanwhile, Pakistan enter yet another World Cup with a new coach at the helm (on some days a consultant, on other days a mentor). Irrespective of what tag is flashed next to Wahab Riaz's name, for yet another change in key personnel, the team comes into the tournament with a rare, refreshing clarity of its gameplay. It is evident in the way they have played their cricket in the lead-up and the bold selection calls they've made to make their line-up more aggressive, even if it hasn't delivered the desired result as yet. However, for all the clarity, there is still uncertainty on how best to utilise the batting creds of Fatima Sana - in a way that is beneficial to the team while also maximising each individual's potential.