Smriti Mandhana, along with members of the Indian women’s cricket team, began the New Year 2026 on a spiritual note by offering prayers at the Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga temple in Ujjain. The players attended the sacred Bhasm Aarti on January 1 as they sought blessings for the year ahead. Fresh off a successful end to 2025, the India women’s team recently sealed a series victory over Sri Lanka, closing the year on a high. To mark the start of what they hope will be another memorable chapter, several players visited the revered temple early in the new year.
Players Attend Bhasm Aarti at Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga
A video shared on social media captured Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Renuka Singh Thakur, Sneh Rana, Radha Yadav and Arundhati Reddy seated inside the temple premises, participating in the prayers. The group was also seen receiving blessings from the priest as they prepare for upcoming international challenges and a demanding season ahead.
#WATCH | Ujjain, MP | Members of the Indian Women’s Cricket Team offer prayers at the at Mahakaleshwar Temple on the first day of #NewYear2026 pic.twitter.com/5CEv1ksHhJ— ANI (@ANI) January 1, 2026
India Complete Dominant T20I Whitewash Against Sri Lanka
India’s strong form continued in the recently concluded T20I series against Sri Lanka, where they completed a dominant 5–0 whitewash. The hosts secured the fifth and final match by 15 runs at the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram.
This marked India’s third instance of a 5–0 clean sweep in women’s T20 Internationals, having earlier achieved the feat against the West Indies in 2019 and Bangladesh in 2024, both away from home.
World Champions Shift Focus to T20 World Cup 2026
The Women in Blue are riding high after being crowned ODI World Champions on home soil, following their victory over South Africa in the final. With confidence soaring, the focus now shifts to the T20 World Cup 2026, scheduled to take place later this year.
The previous edition in 2024 proved disappointing, as India exited in the first stage after defeats against New Zealand and Australia.
Since that setback, the Harmanpreet Kaur-led side has been flawless in bilateral contests, registering series wins against the West Indies by 2–1, England by 3–2 and Sri Lanka by 5–0.
Australia and England Series to Shape World Cup Preparations
India’s build-up to the T20 World Cup will continue with a series against Australia in February 2026, followed by clashes against England in May 2026.
With their long-standing ICC trophy drought finally ended through a historic World Cup triumph at home, expectations will be sky-high as the Indian women’s team aims to add another global title to their growing legacy.
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