The Indian women’s cricket
team will have to make certain adjustments in their line-up at Commonwealth Games (CWG) 2022, with two players being now held back
as a result of testing positive for COVID-19, PTI reported quoting an Indian Olympic Association official. Said cricketers, Pooja
Vastrakar and S Meghana, have not boarded the flight with the rest
of their teammates headed for Birmingham, UK, where the Games will be held. The BCCI has not yet announced any replacement.

Vastrakar, an important
all-rounder of the Indian team who had mesmerized fans with her performance in
the Women’s Cricket World Cup this year, will be sorely missed by her
teammates. In India’s World Cup match against Pakistan, the 22-year-old scored
67 in 59 balls, scripting her way into the record books. This is the
second-highest runs a woman batter has managed while coming in to bat at number
8.

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Wicketkeeper-batter Richa
Ghosh, allrounder Simran Dil Bahadur, and legspinner Poonam Yadav are some
probable replacements for Vastrakar.

S Meghana’s absence might not
be a big dent on India’s dreams of the gold medal since she was selected as a
back-up. India’s batting hopes rest on the firm shoulders of Smriti Mandhana,
Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodriguez, and Harmanpreet Kaur.

Last week, when the Indian
women’s cricket team was practising in Bengaluru, Saurav Ganguly, BCCI
President, had stated that one member of the team had tested positive for COVID-19, without
revealing any name. Later this week, both Meghana and Vastrakar will be
completing their isolation, post which the two will be required to pass a test mandated by the BCCI before they can join their teammates in England.

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This year is the first time that
women’s cricket will be a part of CWG. Cricket was last played at the
multi-sport event in its 1998 edition. Australia, winners of the 2022 Women’s
Cricket World Cup, along with England and India, seem to be the clear favourites
to grab the gold. All matches are set to be held at the iconic Edgebaston Cricket Ground.