MUMBAI, May 2: India on Saturday drafted in uncapped Nandini Sharma and wicketkeeper batter Yastika Bhatia in the 15-player squad for the upcoming Women’s T20 World Cup, beginning June 12 in England and Wales.
While specialist batters Pratika Rawal and Harleen Deol were excluded, all-rounder Amanjot Kaur and Kashvee Gautam missed out on selection owing to injuries.
Harmanpreet Kaur will lead all the squads with Smriti Mandhana being her deputy.
Pratika, however, has been named in the squad for the one-off Test against England to be played at the Lord’s between July 10 and 13 whereas Harleen will lead the India A side in the ODI series.
Medium pacer Nandini was handed her maiden India call-up after doing well in WPL, where she played 10 matches for Delhi Capitals, taking 17 wickets.
She was also part of the India squad that played in the Women’s Asia Cup Rising Stars tournament in Bangkok in February this year.
The fast bowling line-up also does not feature Pooja Vastrakar. Renuka Singh Thakur will continued to lead the pace attack with Arundhati Reddy and Kranti Goud in tow.
There was no place for Anushka Sharma and Uma Chetry, who had toured South Africa.
The core squad is similar to the one which won the ODI Women’s World Cup in November last year.
Mandhana, Shafali Verma and Jemimah Rodrigues are expected to form the top three while the inclusion of Bharti Fulmali, who did an impressive job lower down the order in the Women’s Premier League, will complete the batting line-up along with other finishers such as Richa Ghosh and Deepti Sharma.
Deepti will be at the helm of the spin bowling attack which also has Shreyanka Patil, Shree Charani and Radha Yadav, who has not played for India since the England tour last year.
However, the team’s think tank will be forced to work hard to fill the void created by the absence of Amanjot has been ruled out of action for 4-5 months due to a back injury.
The squad picked for World Cup will also compete in the preceding three-match T20I series against hosts England, starting May 28.
India will open their campaign with a game against against Pakistan on June 14 in Birmingham. The final is scheduled for July 5 at Lord’s. India have never won T20 World title.
Squads:
For England T20Is and T20 World Cup
============================
Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana (vc), Shafali, Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Bharti Fulmali, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh (wk), Sree Charani, Yastika Bhatia (2nd wk), Nandini Sharma, Arundhati Reddy, Renuka Thakur, Kranti Gaud, Shreyanka Patil, Radha Yadav.
For one-off Test against England
=======================
Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana (vc), Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodriges, Pratika Rawal, Richa Ghosh, Sree Charani, Yastika Bhatia, Nandini Sharma, Harleen Deol, Renuka Singh, Kranti Gaud, Sayali Satghare, Sneh Rana. (PTI)
Follow our WhatsApp channel
