India women’s squad for Sri Lanka tour out, Harmanpreet named ODI captain

Harmanpreet Kaur was named the captain of the India women’s ODI team for the white-ball series against Sri Lanka. The team will play three T20Is beginning June 23 and as many ODIs in Dambulla and Kandy respectively, the BCCI announced Wednesday. 

“The All-India Women’s Selection Committee met on Wednesday to pick the squads for India’s upcoming tour of Sri Lanka. India will play three T20Is and as many ODIs in Dambulla and Kandy respectively,” the BCCI release stated.

Kaur’s promotion comes on the day India cricket legend Mithali Raj announced retirement from all forms of international cricket. The 39-year-old led India since 2005, scoring 89 wins in 155 games, which is by any player in women’s ODIs. 

“I set out as a little girl on the journey to wear the India blues as representing your country is the highest honour. The journey was full of highs and some lows,” Mithali wrote in a statement posted on twitter.

Harmanpreet Kaur has been leading India in the T20 format. Smriti Mandhana has been named her deputy in the both formats. 

Notable absentees from both squads were India veteran pacer Jhulan Goswami and Sneh Rana. Jemimah Rodrigues was included in the T20I squad but could not cut it in the 50-over format.

ODI squad: Harmanpreet Kaur (Captain), Smriti Mandhana (VC), Shafali Verma, Yastika Bhatia (wk), S Meghna, Deepti Sharma, Poonam Yadav, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Simran Bahadur, Richa Ghosh (wk), Pooja Vastrakar, Meghna Singh, Renuka Singh, Taniya Bhatia (wk), Harleen Deol.

T20I Squad – Harmanpreet Kaur (Captain), Smriti Mandhana (VC), Shafali Verma Yastika Bhatia (wk), S Meghna, Deepti Sharma, Poonam Yadav, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Simran Bahadur, Richa Ghosh (wk), Pooja Vastrakar, Meghna Singh, Renuka Singh, Jemimah Rodrigues, Radha Yadav.

Here is the schedule:

Thursday 23rd June: 1st T20I, Dambulla

Saturday 25th June: 2nd T20I, Dambulla

Monday 27th June 3rd: T20I, Dambulla

Friday 1st July: 1st ODI, Kandy

Monday 4th July: 2nd ODI, Kandy

Thursday 7th July: 3rd ODI, Kandy