Indian Stars Headline Women’s CPL 2026 Overseas Roster
The Women’s CPL has dipped deep into India’s talent pool for its 2026 edition, with four prominent names locked in as overseas signings and a raft of global stars set to light up Kensington Oval in September.
Pooja Vastrakar, Kiran Navgire, Yastika Bhatia and Shikha Pandey will all feature in the tournament, their signatures confirmed as franchises finalised their overseas cores for a compact, high‑quality season in Barbados.
Vastrakar to lead Indian charge at defending champions
Defending champions Barbados Tridents have moved decisively for Pooja Vastrakar, the Indian allrounder who turned out briefly for RCB in WPL 2026. They clearly see more than just a bit‑part role for her in the Caribbean.
Vastrakar brings seam, lower‑order power and a fierce competitive streak. On slow, coastal decks that often reward smart change‑ups, her skill set fits neatly into a title defence.
She won’t be the only Indian presence in blue and yellow. Big‑hitting batter Kiran Navgire also joins the Tridents, adding raw muscle to a top order that already carries serious pedigree.
Waiting for them in the dressing room: New Zealand stalwart Suzie Bates and compatriot Maddy Green. Bates’ experience and Green’s busy middle‑order game give the Tridents a balanced overseas spine — power, nous and versatility wrapped into four names.
Pandey and Bhatia bolster TKR’s new‑look unit
Trinbago Knight Riders have gone back to a familiar face. Seamer Shikha Pandey, who has previously featured for TKR in the WCPL, returns for 2026, bringing control with the new ball and calm at the death.
This time, she’s not the only Indian in red.
Wicketkeeper‑batter Yastika Bhatia has been snapped up for her first stint in the competition, a move that hands TKR a left‑hand option who can both anchor and accelerate. Her inclusion sharpens their top‑order options and adds a reliable pair of gloves behind the stumps.
The Knight Riders have not stopped there. Their overseas roster reads like a statement.
Marizanne Kapp, one of the most complete allrounders in the women’s game, joins to provide bite with the ball and steel with the bat. Australia’s Laura Harris brings explosive finishing power, while compatriot Madeline Penna offers a flexible middle‑order role and handy spin.
That blend of Indian stability and Southern Hemisphere firepower gives TKR a deep, multi‑dimensional side on paper.
Newcomers Jamaica Express make a marquee splash
A new name enters the league this year: Jamaica Express. New franchise, but no hesitation in going for one of the game’s modern greats.
Meg Lanning, armed with a glittering CV and a reputation for ruthless run‑scoring, will finally step into the WCPL for the first time in her career. For a start‑up side, there are few better pillars to build around than Lanning’s tactical brain and batting authority.
Around her, Jamaica have assembled a quietly intriguing mix.
Ireland’s Amy Hunter adds youthful promise at the top. South African spinner Nonku Mlaba offers left‑arm control and drift, while Pakistan’s Syeda Aroob Shah brings leg‑spin and guile. New Zealand seamer Rosemary Mair rounds out a varied attack, giving the Express seam, spin and angles to play with.
New badge, new colours, but no shortage of ambition.
South African steel and an Australian return for Warriors
Guyana Amazon Warriors have leaned heavily on South Africa’s core to shape their overseas group.
Tazmin Brits, Nadine de Klerk, Chloe Tyron and Shabnim Ismail form a formidable quartet. Tyron’s hitting, de Klerk’s all‑round bite, Brits’ top‑order presence and Ismail’s pace give the Warriors a hardened, competitive edge.
Joining them is Australia’s Erin Burns, back on a prominent stage after last featuring in international cricket seven years ago. Her return adds another layer of experience and off‑spin utility to a squad already rich in options.
Among that group, Brits stands out for a different reason: she is the only member of the Warriors’ overseas contingent yet to play in the WCPL. The rest know these conditions, these crowds, these pressures.
All roads lead to Kensington Oval
The calendar is tight and intense. The tournament starts on September 5, with the final locked in for September 17. Every ball, every tactical call, every misstep will play out under the lights and sunshine of a single venue: Kensington Oval in Barbados.
One ground. Twelve days. A flood of international talent.
With Indian stars spread across the league, a new franchise banking on Meg Lanning’s gravitas, and South Africa’s core stitched into the heart of the Warriors, the question is simple: who will own Barbados when the lights go out on September 17?
