India Predicted Playing 11 vs Sri Lanka for Match 12 of Women's T20 World Cup 2024
India will face off against Sri Lanka in Match 12 of the 2024 Women's T20 World Cup at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Wednesday, October 9. It will be a must-win game for both teams, with qualification from Group A at stake.
India are currently fourth in the standings, above only Sri Lanka. Harmanpreet Kaur and Co. have a poor net run rate and need to win big if they are to challenge Australia, New Zealand and Pakistan for a berth in the knockouts.
There are a couple of injury concerns hovering over the Indian squad, and it remains to be seen whether they have a full contingent to pick from at the toss on Wednesday.
India's squad: Harmanpreet Kaur (captain), Smriti Mandhana (vice-captain), 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.
On that note, here is India's predicted playing XI for Match 12 of the 2024 Women's T20 World Cup against Sri Lanka.
Openers: Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana
India's opening combination has been settled for quite a while now, but both Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma have been woefully inconsistent lately. While Mandhana hasn't gotten going in both games thus far, Verma spent some time at the crease against Pakistan without looking to be in great nick. The duo will need to deliver against Sri Lanka.
Middle Order: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (wk), Deepti Sharma, S Sajana
India have already made one change when it comes to the No. 3 spot, with Jemimah Rodrigues coming in for Harmanpreet Kaur against Pakistan. That was despite the think tank insisting that they had settled on the skipper batting at that position going forward. It would be in the team's best interests to choose a strategy and stick to it.
Harmanpreet sprained her neck towards the end of the chase against Pakistan and didn't train on the eve of the Sri Lanka encounter. Vice-captain Mandhana stated that she is likely to be passed fit on Wednesday, but whether she will be at her best remains to be seen.
Richa Ghosh, Deepti Sharma and S Sajana are expected to round off the middle order. Sajana came in for Pooja Vastrakar in the last game, and the pace-bowling all-rounder might not recover as quickly as Harmanpreet.
Lower Order: Arundhati Reddy, Shreyanka Patil, Asha Sobhana, Renuka Singh Thakur
India's bowling attack, which did decently against Pakistan, is expected to wear a similar look. Renuka Singh Thakur and Arundhati Reddy will hold up the pace attack, with Shreyanka Patil and Asha Sobhana giving Deepti some company in the spin unit.
Mandhana stated that team combination has played a hand in Radha Yadav's exclusion, and the same could continue for another game.