Harmanpreet to lead Indian women's cricket team in Commonwealth Games

Seasoned batter Harmanpreet Kaur will lead a 16-member Indian team in the maiden women's T20 cricket competition at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham starting on July 28, the BCCI announced on Monday.

"The All-India Women's Selection Committee met on Monday to pick the squad for the forthcoming 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. This will be the first time that Women's T20 International will be featured in the prestigious multi-sport event," BCCI secretary Jay Shah informed in a release.

India is in Group A with Australia, Barbados, and Pakistan. Sri Lanka, England, New Zealand, and South Africa are placed in Group B. The top two teams from the respective pools will progress to the semi-finals. India is scheduled to play three games in the league stage of the tournament starting 29th July 2022, the release said.

Opener Smriti Mandhana will be Harmanpreet's deputy in the team, which also includes top batter Shafali Verma and upcoming bowler Meghna Singh.

Jemimah Rodrigues, who was dropped for the Women's World Cup in New Zealand earlier this year and subsequent series before making a comeback in the just-concluded ODI series against Sri Lanka. Playing her first international match since October 2021, Jemimah scored a crucial 36 not out off 27 balls against Sri Lanka in the first T20I in Dambulla to help India start their tour with a win.

The Indian women will their first match against World Champions Australia at Edgbaston on July 29 and take on Pakistan on July 31 before rounding off their preliminary league engagements against Barbados on August 3, the release said.

The Indian women's squad: Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Smriti Mandhana (VC), Shafali Verma, S. Meghana, Taniyaa Sapna Bhatia (Wk), Yastika Bhatia (Wk), Deepti Sharma, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Pooja Vastrakar, Meghna Singh, Renuka Thakur, Jemimah Rodrigues, Radha Yadav, Harleen Deol, Sneh Rana.

Standby: Simran Dil Bahadur, Richa Ghosh, Poonam Yadav. --IANS

bsk/inj