Mumbai: Harmanpreet Kaur will lead India’s star-studded side for the upcoming ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 in the UAE. The right-handed batter will be assisted by vice-captain Smriti Mandhana, who is expected to open the batting with Shafali Verma.
Dayalan Hemalatha is another top-order option in the squad. Apart from them, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, and Richa Ghosh will boost a formidable batting line-up.
Richa is the designated keeper in the squad along with Yastika Bhatia, whose selection is subject to fitness along with Shreyanka Patil. Both players have been battling injuries over the last couple of months.
India will also have three travelling reserves — Uma Chetry (wk), Tanuja Kanwer, Saima Thakor — for the event in the UAE.
Renuka Singh, Pooja Vastrakar, Deepti Sharma, Radha Yadav, Asha Sobhana and Sajana Sajeevan are among the bowling options. India are carrying a fair share of all-rounders in Harmanpreet, Sajana, Sobhana and Deepti.
The ninth edition of the tournament will now be contested in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from October 3 to 20 in Dubai and Sharjah. India are in Group A along with Australia, New Zealand, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.
Squad: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana (vc), Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (wk), Yastika Bhatia* (wk), Pooja Vastrakar, Arundhati Reddy, Renuka Singh, Dayalan Hemalatha, Asha Sobhana, Radha Yadav, Shreyanka Patil*, Sajana Sajeevan.
Traveling reserves: Uma Chetry (wk), Tanuja Kanwer, Saima Thakor.
Non-Travelling Reserves: Raghvi Bist, Priya Mishra
In the last edition of the T20 World Cup, India lost to eventual champions Australia in the semifinal by five runs in Cape Town.
–IANS