Women’s Asia Cup: India Names 15-Member Squad Led by Harmanpreet Kaur

As India continues to bask in the glory of their recent T20 World Cup triumph, attention is shifting towards the upcoming Women’s Asia Cup in Sri Lanka. The tournament, scheduled to take place from July 19, marks the last international assignment before the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in September. The Indian team, led by Harmanpreet Kaur, has announced a 15-member squad that is largely expected, with the exception of a few notable omissions.

The team will be in T20I mode, having just concluded a three-match ODI series against South Africa, where they trail 0-1. The second match against the visitors is set to take place on Sunday. Opener Smriti Mandhana, who has been in sensational form across all formats, continues as the vice-captain. With three centuries in her last five international outings, she will be a key player in India’s World Cup preparations.

The squad, which was trimmed from the original 17-member group that faced South Africa, sees young pacer Shabnam Shakil and all-rounder Amanjot Kaur being left out. In their place, Shweta Sehrawat, Saika Ishaque, Tanuja Kanwer, and Meghna Singh have been included as travelling reserves. The availability of Yastika Bhatia and Titas Sadhu, who recently featured in a Bangladesh series, remains unclear.

India has been grouped with arch-rivals Pakistan, UAE, and Nepal in Group A of the Asia Cup, with all matches to be played at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium. As the defending champions, India has won the competition a record seven times. If they reach the semifinals and beyond, they are likely to face hosts Sri Lanka, who are in good form after winning the recent World Cup qualifiers.

The Indian squad, led by Harmanpreet Kaur, consists of Smriti Mandhana (vice-captain), Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (wicket-keeper), Uma Chetry (wicket-keeper), Pooja Vastrakar, Arundhati Reddy, Renuka Singh Thakur, Dayalan Hemalatha, Asha Sobhana, Radha Yadav, Shreyanka Patil, and Sajana Sajeevan. The travelling reserves include Shweta Sehrawat, Saika Ishaque, Tanuja Kanwer, and Meghna Singh.

The Asia Cup will be a crucial preparatory tournament for India, with the World Cup just around the corner. With the squad now taking shape, fans can expect an exciting tournament that will provide valuable experience for the players ahead of the global event.

Historical Context:

The Women’s Asia Cup is an annual international cricket tournament organized by the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) for women’s national teams. The tournament has been held since 2005, with India being the most successful team, having won the title a record seven times. The tournament serves as a preparatory event for the ICC Women’s World Cup, which is the premier international championship for women’s cricket.

The Indian women’s cricket team has been a dominant force in the Asia Cup, with their last win coming in 2018. The team has been led by Harmanpreet Kaur since 2017, and under her captaincy, they have achieved significant success, including winning the 2017 ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier and the 2018 Asia Cup.

The team has a strong squad, with players like Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, and Jemimah Rodrigues being key contributors. The team has also been working on their T20 skills, having recently played a three-match T20I series against South Africa.

Summary in Bullet Points:

• India has announced a 15-member squad for the Women’s Asia Cup, led by Harmanpreet Kaur. • The squad includes Smriti Mandhana as vice-captain, Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma, Jemimah Rodrigues, and Richa Ghosh as key players. • The team has been trimmed from the original 17-member group that faced South Africa, with Shabnam Shakil and Amanjot Kaur being left out. • Shweta Sehrawat, Saika Ishaque, Tanuja Kanwer, and Meghna Singh have been included as travelling reserves. • The availability of Yastika Bhatia and Titas Sadhu remains unclear. • India has been grouped with Pakistan, UAE, and Nepal in Group A of the Asia Cup. • The tournament will be played at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium in Sri Lanka. • The Asia Cup will be a crucial preparatory tournament for India ahead of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in September. • The squad will provide valuable experience for the players ahead of the global event.