India on Saturday selected wicketkeeper batter Yastika Bhatia and uncapped Nandini Sharma for the 15-player squad for the Women’s T20 World Cup, which will take place in England and Wales starting on June 12.
All-rounder Amanjot Kaur and Kashvee Gautam were not selected due to injuries, while specialist hitters Pratika Rawal and Harleen Deol were left out.
The squad will be led by Harmanpreet Kaur, with Smriti Mandhana serving as her deputy.
While Harleen will captain the India A team in the ODI series, Pratika has been included in the squad for the one-off Test against England that will take place at the Lord’s between July 10 and 13.
After doing well in the WPL, where she played ten games for Delhi Capitals and claimed 17 wickets, medium pacer Nandini received her first call-up for India. In February of this year, she participated in the Women’s Asia Cup Rising Stars competition in Bangkok as a member of the Indian team.
Pooja Vastrakar is also absent from the fast bowling lineup. Arundhati Reddy and Kranti Goud were named in the pace attack led by Renuka Singh Thakur. Anushka Sharma and Uma Chetry, who had toured South Africa, had no place.
The core team is similar to the one that won the ODI Women’s World Cup in November of last year. Along with other finishers like Richa Ghosh and Deepti Sharma, Bharti Fulmali, who performed admirably lower down the order in the Women’s Premier League, will complete the batting lineup. Mandhana, Shafali Verma, and Jemimah Rodrigues are anticipated to form the top three.
Along with Shreyanka Patil, Shree Charani, and Radha Yadav—who hasn’t played for India since the England tour last year—Deepti will lead the spin bowling attack. Amanjot will be out of action for four to five months owing to a back ailment, therefore the team’s think tank will have to put in a lot of effort to fill the vacuum.
The team selected for the World Cup will also play in the three-match Twenty20 International series against the hosts, England, which begins on May 28.
On June 14 in Birmingham, India will play their first match of the season against Pakistan. The final will take place at Lord’s on July 5. India have never won the Women’s T20 World Cup title.
India squad for England T20Is and T20 World Cup: Harmapreet 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
India squad for one-off Test against England: Harmapreet 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
