Indian Stars Join Women's CPL 2026 Squads

The Women's CPL has thrown its first major punch of the 2026 season, and it comes with a strong Indian accent.

Four India internationals – Pooja Vastrakar, Kiran Navgire, Yastika Bhatia and Shikha Pandey – have been snapped up for the new edition as franchises locked in their overseas cores for the September tournament in Barbados.

Champions reload with Indian firepower

Defending champions Barbados Tridents have moved quickly and decisively.

Pooja Vastrakar, who turned out in a couple of games for RCB in WPL 2026, will wear Tridents blue this time. A seam-bowling allrounder who hits hard down the order, she gives Barbados both new-ball bite and late-innings muscle.

She won’t be the only Indian presence. Big-hitting batter Kiran Navgire also joins the Tridents, adding raw power to a top order already rich in experience.

Around them, the Tridents have doubled down on proven quality from New Zealand. Suzie Bates, one of the most accomplished batters in the women’s game, and Maddy (Madeline) Green return to the Caribbean stage, giving the champions a settled, seasoned overseas unit.

TKR bring back Pandey and hand Bhatia her WCPL bow

Trinbago Knight Riders know exactly what they’re getting with Shikha Pandey.

The seamer, who has featured for TKR in the Women’s CPL before, returns for the 2026 edition, offering control with the new ball and nous at the death. Alongside her, wicketkeeper-batter Yastika Bhatia will make her first appearance in the competition, a significant step in her growing T20 résumé.

TKR have not stopped there. They have stacked their overseas list with some of the most impactful short-format names in the women’s game.

Marizanne Kapp brings world-class allround quality and big-match temperament. Australia’s Laura Harris adds explosive finishing power, while compatriot Madeline Penna offers middle-order runs and handy spin. It’s a group built to dominate the key phases of a T20 game.

Newcomers Jamaica Express land Lanning

The new franchise, Jamaica Express, have wasted no time announcing themselves.

Meg Lanning, one of the modern greats of the women’s game, will turn out in the WCPL for the first time in her career. For a new side, there is no bigger statement than building around a captain and batter of her stature.

She will be joined by Ireland’s Amy Hunter, a young top-order talent, and a diverse bowling cast: South Africa’s Nonku Mlaba, Pakistan’s Syeda Aroob Shah and New Zealand seamer Rosemary Mair. It’s a blend of youth, variety and international experience, anchored by Lanning’s presence at the top.

South African spine for Guyana, Burns returns

Guyana Amazon Warriors have leaned heavily on South African steel.

Tazmin Brits, Nadine de Klerk, Chloe Tryon and Shabnim Ismail form a formidable quartet. Power, pace, aggression – it’s all there. Only Brits is new to this tournament; the rest know Caribbean conditions and the demands of the WCPL.

Erin Burns, the Australian allrounder who last played international cricket seven years ago, also joins the Warriors. Her return to a major T20 stage adds another intriguing layer to Guyana’s overseas mix.

Barbados stage set

The 2026 Women’s CPL will run from September 5 to September 17, with every game staged at Kensington Oval in Barbados.

One venue. Twelve days. Overseas rosters loaded with Indian stars, a debuting Meg Lanning, and South African pace and power spread across the league.

With the squads now taking shape, the question isn’t whether the tournament will deliver drama. It’s which of these imported match-winners will own the Barbados nights.