3 players who might be dropped after India's 2024 Women's T20 World Cup exit ft. Harmanpreet Kaur
India Women were knocked out of the ongoing Women’s T20 World Cup after New Zealand defeated Pakistan in the last group game and confirmed their spot in the last four after eight years. The Indian Women lost their matches against New Zealand and Australia to bow out of the tournament.
It was an underwhelming performance from the Indian Women which saw their tournament come to an end in the group stages. They suffered a massive 58-run defeat against New Zealand in the tournament opener before huffing and puffing to a victory against their arch-rivals Pakistan.
It was the game against Sri Lanka where India brought out their A game but it wasn't enough to book a place in the final four. They faced a must-win situation against the mighty Aussies. Despite putting up a valiant effort, it was their fielding errors and inability to perform in crunch situations which came back to haunt them. A nine-run defeat all but sealed their fate.
Had Pakistan defeated New Zealand in the final group game, India would have scraped through from the back door but they left a lot to be desired and honestly didn't deserve to play in the semi-final.
Following their disappointing showing, some harsh decisions have to be taken and it should start by removing some big names from the squad and replacing them with fresh talents, especially in the T20 format.
Having said that, here is a look at three players who could be dropped after the T20 World Cup:
#3 Richa Ghosh
There is no doubt about the talent Richa Ghosh possesses but she hasn't been at her best in the recent past. She is a powerful striker of the ball and is a match-winner with the bat.
On her day, she has the ability to decimate any bowling attack. So the question might arise that why Richa is among all the experienced campaigners who haven't quite gotten their act together.
More than her batting, it's the keeping which might end up costing Richa Ghosh a place in the playing XI. She dropped a sitter against New Zealand early in the game which could have set the tone for India. She was very sloppy during the majority of the four games.
The 21-year-old seems to lack the technique which is required to keep at the international level. Richa has to work on her keeping big time if she wants to retain her place in the Indian team. With Yastika Bhatia waiting in the wings who can also open the batting, it could be a tough road for Richa going forward.
#2 Shafali Verma
Touted as one of the finest young talents in India, Shafali Verma is also one of the most destructive batters India has ever produced. However, how long can you sustain in the team without putting up consistent performances for a long time?
Shafali might still only be 20 but she is a fairly experienced batter in the squad and has failed to live up to the expectations. She looks good in her brief stay but a big innings has eluded her for the majority of her T20I career.
With age by her side, time off from the Indian squad might actually help her going forward. For a player who has all the attributes to become a modern-day great, she has left a lot to be desired in her T20 career so far. Shafali only managed to score 99 runs in four matches and failed to provide the starts.
#1 Harmanpreet Kaur
Now that's a big name we are talking about but if India have to move forward, then they might have to take the bold step of dropping their skipper Harmanpreet Kaur. While there is certainly no doubt about her abilities, it's high time the Indian team management looked towards other leadership options.
Harman has been in charge of this T20I side for a long time but doesn't have the results to show for her efforts. While she is currently the second-highest run-scorer in the tournament, Harman couldn't quite deliver when it mattered the most. Moreover, she has looked clueless as a captain on occasions and it's time for India to look beyond her and opt for younger options in this format.