Top-order batter Jemimah Rodrigues and pace bowler Shikha Pandey have been left out of India’s squad for the Women’s ODI World Cup in New Zealand in March-April.
The same 15-member squad will also play the ODIs in New Zealand in the lead-up to the showpiece event. The ODIs are slated from February 11 to 24, before the Mithali Raj-led side open their World Cup campaign against Pakistan on March 6.
Rodrigues had a lean patch during the home series against South Africa and couple of away games in England. She made it to the squad for the subsequent tour of Australia in September but wasn’t included in the playing XI during the three ODIs.
Her stellar performances in the Hundred helped her make comeback in the shortest format, but it wasn’t enough to book her a place in the World Cup. Shafali Verma is expected to open the innings and the 21-year-old Yastika Bhatia will bat at No.3. Meghna Singh is again expected to open the attack with Jhulan Goswami.
Women’s XV: Mithali Raj (captain), Harmanpreet Kaur (vice-captain), Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Yastika Bhatia, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh (wk), Sneh Rana, Jhulan Goswami, Pooja Vastrakar, Meghna Singh, Renuka Singh Thakur, Taniya Bhatia (wk), Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Poonam Yadav.
