Jemimah, Shikha left out as India name 15-member squad for ICC Women's World Cup 2022
India have announced a 15-member squad for the 5-match ODI series against New Zealand as well as the ICC Women's World Cup 2022. The most notable exclusions from the squad are batter Jemimah Rodrigues and bowling all-rounder Shikha Pandey.
#TeamIndia squad for ICC Women's World Cup 2022 & New Zealand ODIs:
Mithali Raj (C), Harmanpreet Kaur (VC), Smriti, Shafali, Yastika, Deepti, Richa Ghosh (WK), Sneh Rana, Jhulan, Pooja, Meghna Singh, Renuka Singh Thakur, Taniya (WK), Rajeshwari, Poonam.
#CWC22 #NZvIND https://t.co/UvvDuAp4Jg
Led by Mithali Raj, the 15-member squad includes a young pace attack to complement the experience of Jhulan Goswami. Meghna Singh, Renuka Singh Thakur and Pooja Vastrakar complete the Indian pace attack for the ICC Women's World Cup 2022.
Indian squad for the ICC Women's World Cup 2022
This is the 15-man squad: Mithali Raj (c), Harmanpreet Kaur (vc), Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Yastika Bhatia, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh (wk), Sneh Rana, Jhulan Goswami, Pooja Vastrakar, Meghna Singh, Renuka Singh Thakur, Taniya Bhatia (wk), Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Poonam Yadav.
The spin department comprises leg-spinner Poonam Yadav, off-spinning all-rounder Sneh Rana and left-arm tweaker Rajeshwari Gayakwad. All-rounders Deepti Sharma and Harmanpreet Kaur are the other spinning options in the side, with Harmanpreet also being the team's vice-captain.
The batting charge will be led by the dynamic duo of Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma, apart from the solidity of skipper Mithali Raj. Harmanpreet Kaur, who was the Player of the Tournament in the Women's Big Bash League a couple of months ago, will shepherd the middle-order.
Left-handed batting prodigy Yastika Bhatia has also made the squad while Richa Ghosh and Taniya Bhatia are the wicket-keepers in the side.
India play Pakistan in their ICC Women's World Cup 2022 opener
The ICC Women's World Cup 2022 is set to commence on March 4 at the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui. Hosts New Zealand will play West Indies in the tournament opener of the 12th edition.
India play arch-rivals Pakistan in their first game of the ICC Women's World Cup 2022 at the same venue on March 6. India ended as the runners-up of the previous edition in 2017, losing a close final by 9 runs to hosts England.
India will first play the White Ferns in a solitary T20I and five ODIs in March ahead of the marquee event. The tour begins on February 9 with the T20 international at Napier's McLean Park.