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Smriti Mandhana-led team India reaches Mahakaleshwar Temple on New Year 2026

Sakshi Sharma

Indian Women's cricket team at Mahakaleshwar Temple (Source:@ANI,Screengrab)Indian Women's cricket team at Mahakaleshwar Temple (Source:@ANI,Screengrab)

The Indian women’s cricket team began the New Year 2026 on a spiritual and peaceful note by visiting the famous Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga Temple in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh. 

Fresh from their historic ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 victory, several members of the World Cup-winning squad attended the sacred Bhasm Aarti, one of the most  scared rituals dedicated to Lord Shiva.

Women in Blue attend sacred Bhasm Aarti

Star cricketer Smriti Mandhana, along with teammates Shafali Verma, Renuka Singh Thakur, Sneh Rana, Radha Yadav, and Arundhati Reddy, were seen offering prayers inside the temple premises early in the morning. 

The players sought blessings for good health, success, and another strong year in international cricket as they prepare for major tournaments ahead.

A video shared on social media showed the Indian players seated calmly inside the temple, deeply involved in prayers. Following temple traditions, the players also received blessings from the temple priest.

The Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga Temple is one of the twelve sacred Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva and holds great religious importance. The Bhasm Aarti, performed in the early hours of the morning, attracts devotees from all parts of India.

On January 1, 2026, the temple witnessed a large gathering of devotees seeking peace, prosperity and blessings.

A spiritual start after a historic year

India Women ended 2025 on a high note with a dominant 5–0 T20I series victory against Sri Lanka Women. The final match of the series was played at the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram, where India secured a 15-run win to complete the clean sweep.

The year 2025 will be remembered as a golden chapter in Indian women’s cricket history. Under the leadership of Harmanpreet Kaur, India won their first-ever ICC Women’s ODI World Cup, defeating South Africa in the final on home soil.

Following the World Cup triumph, the team has continued its strong run, winning every bilateral series it has played against West Indies, England, and Sri Lanka.

Looking ahead to big year

With the T20 World Cup 2026 scheduled later this year, expectations from the Women in Blue will be high. India had an early exit in the 2024 T20 World Cup, but since then, the team has shown remarkable improvement across all formats.

The tournament will begin on June 12, 2026, with England facing Sri Lanka in the opening match. India have been placed in Group A alongside Australia, South Africa, Pakistan, and two qualifying teams.

Before the much-awaited World Cup, India will face Australia in February 2026 and England in May 2026. These two crucial series will help the team fine-tune their preparations before the global tournament.