Women's T20 Challenge: Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana and Deepti Sharma to captain as BCCI announce squads
The BCCI has announced the squads for the upcoming Women's T20 challenge set to begin on May 23. Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana and Deepti Sharma will lead the Supernovas, Trailblazers, and Velocity, respectively.
Mithali Raj and Jhulan Goswami, two of the best women's players in the country, were prominent exclusions. The veteran pair played in the 2020 edition despite previously retiring from T20 international cricket.
Moreover, pacer Shikha Pandey couldn't find a place in any squad after being omitted for the home series against South Africa and the World Cup earlier this year.
Deepti sharma (velocity)
Harmanpreet kaur (Supernova)
Smriti Mandhana (Trailblazers
Are the 3 captain of #womenst20challeng (source- sports tak) https://t.co/rrRg43z78I
Hard-hitting batter Veda Krishnamurthy was yet another notable name missing from the squad, but Kiran Navgire's inclusion was significant. Navgire, who will turn out for Velocity, struck an unbeaten 162* for Nagaland in the domestic T20 competition.
The overseas contingent also has some notable names, including Sophie Ecclestone, Sophia Dunkley-Brown, Kate Cross, Laura Wolvaardt, Sune Luus, Ayabonga Khaka, Deandra Dottin, Hayley Mathews, Salma Khatun, Sharmin Akter, Natthakan Chantham and Alana King. The Australian players missed the 2020 season due to the Women's Big Bash League.
The MCA stadium in Pune will host all the fixtures from May 23 to 28. It will be the fourth season of the Women's T20 challenge. The opening game will be a rematch of the 2020 final between Trailblazers and Supernovas. The Trailblazers beat Supernovas to emerge victorious on that occasion.
Women's T20 Challenge squads
Supernovas: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Taniya Bhatia (vc), Alana King, Ayush Soni, Chandu V, Deandra Dottin, Harleen Deol, Meghna Singh, Monica Patel, Muskan Malik, Pooja Vastrakar, Priya Punia, Rashi Kanojia, Sophie Ecclestone, Sune Luus, Mansi Joshi.
Trailblazers: Smriti Mandhana (c), Poonam Yadav (vc), Arundhati Reddy, Hayley Mathews, Jemimah Rodrigues, Priyanka Priyadarshini, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Renuka Singh, Richa Ghosh, S. Meghana, Saiqa Ishaque, Salma Khatun, Sharmin Akter, Sophia Brown, Sujata Malik, S.B. Pokharkar.
NEWS - BCCI announces squads for My11Circle Women’s T20 Challenge.
@ImHarmanpreet to lead the Supernovas, @mandhana_smriti will lead the Trailblazers and Deepti Sharma to Captain Velocity.
More details here - iplt20.com/news/3824/bcci… #WT20Challenge
Velocity: Deepti Sharma (c), Sneh Rana (vc), Shafali Verma, Ayabonga Khaka, K.P. Navgire, Kathryn Cross, Keerthi James, Laura Wolvaardt, Maya Sonawane, Natthakan Chantham, Radha Yadav, Aarti Kedkar, Shivali Shinde, Simran Bahadur, Yastika Bhatia, Pranavi Chandra.