The Indian team have announced their squad for the upcoming edition of the T20 World Cup. The mega-event will begin from October 3 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
India have announced a familiar yet strong squad for the marquee event, the similar one who played the final of the Asia Cup in July, this year.
HarmanPreet Kaur will lead the side while Smriti Mandhana will be her deputy.
Uma Chetry missed out on the squad and was replaced by Yastika Bhatia but her inclusion is subject to fitness. And similarly, Shreyanka Patil’s inclusion is also subject to fitness since she picked up injury during the game against Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2024.
Bhatia is a wicket-keeper batter, who played for Mumbai Indians in the WPL. She scored 204 runs in the tournament and was the third-highest run getter for the side. She made her debut against Bangladesh but hasn’t played since then. Currently, she is rehabilitating in the BCCI’s National academy in Bengaluru for an injury in her left knee.
Tanuja Kumar, who replaced Patil in the India squad for the Asia Cup is added in the travelling reserves. Saima Thokar and Chetry will also accompany Kumar in the reserve list.
The captain, Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues and Deepti Sharma will shape up the batting attack of the side. Mandhana has been a great touch as she was impressive against South Africa and in the Asia Cup.
Whereas the captain and Jemimah will look to make a comeback as they failed to put up the desired results in the Asia Cup.
The pace attack will be led by Renuka Singh and Pooja Vastrakar will accompany her.
Deepti, Radha Yadav and Patil are the main spinners. Batter Raghvi Bist and leg spinner Priya Mishra were part of India A squad but have not been included in the travelling reserves.
India will look to win this T20 World Cup to end their Trophy drought in the marquee event. The women in blue have never won the T20 world cup, they reached the final only once in 2020 where they were beaten by Australia.
They have won the Asia Cup T20 edition 3 times and also have a silver medal at the Commonwealth games. So, now the side will look to finally get their hands on the coveted trophy.
And above all, the side will look to bounce back after the crushing defeat in the final of the Asia Cup. It’s time for the side to keep their calm in the knockouts as it’s the only stage where Indian’s side lacks.
India are placed in Group A and will face Australia, New Zealand, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.
The side will kick start their campaign against New Zealand. The event was initially scheduled in Bangladesh but will now be held at UAE citing the political tension in Bangladesh.
India squad for Women’s T20 World Cup
Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), Smriti Mandhana (vice-capt), Yastika Bhatia* (wk), Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (wk), Pooja Vastrakar, Arundhati Reddy, Renuka Singh, D Hemalatha, Asha Sobhana, Radha Yadav, Shreyanka Patil*, Sajeevan Sajana
Travelling reserves: Tanuja Kanwar, Uma Chetry, Saima Thakor. Non-travelling reserves: Raghvi Bist, Priya Mishra
* Subject to fitness
