India Women's ODI Squad Announced for Tri-Series in Sri Lanka

The India women’s cricket team has announced its squad for the upcoming ODI tri-series in Sri Lanka, with South Africa also participating. This series, set to begin on April 27, is crucial for all three teams as they prepare for the ODI World Cup later this year in India.

A notable feature of the squad is the inclusion of Kashvee Gautam, N Shree Charani, and Shuchi Upadhyay, all of whom have earned their maiden national call-ups. Gautam, 21, was one of the standout performers in the recent Women's Premier League (WPL), finishing as the highest wicket-taker among Indian players with 11 wickets in nine matches. Charani, 20, a left-arm spinner, showcased her potential in the WPL with four wickets from two appearances for Delhi Capitals. Upadhyay was the third-highest wicket-taker at the Senior Women’s One-Day Trophy in December last year, with 18 wickets at an impressive economy rate of 3.48. She was also named Player of the Tournament as her team, Madhya Pradesh, clinched the title.

The squad will be captained by Harmanpreet Kaur, who returns after missing the previous series against Ireland in January. Smriti Mandhana will serve as vice-captain. Other key players include Deepti Sharma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harleen Deol, and Richa Ghosh, along with experienced campaigners Sneh Rana, Yastika Bhatia, and Amanjot Kaur, all of whom are making a return to the squad.

Unfortunately, Renuka Singh, Pooja Vastrakar, and Titas Sadhu, three fast bowlers, were not considered for selection due to injuries.

Notably, Shafali Verma, despite her impressive showing in the WPL with 304 runs at a strike rate of 152.76, has been excluded from the squad, continuing her absence from the national side since the Ireland series.

The ODI tri-series will feature the following schedule:

April 27: Sri Lanka vs India
April 29: India vs South Africa
May 2: Sri Lanka vs South Africa
May 4: Sri Lanka vs India
May 7: India vs South Africa
May 9: Sri Lanka vs South Africa
May 11: Final

All matches will be held at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.

This series serves as an important preparation for the Indian women's team ahead of the ODI World Cup, scheduled to take place later this year in India during September-October. The tri-series provides the perfect platform for players to fine-tune their skills and build momentum as they gear up for the prestigious tournament.

India Women's ODI Squad:

Harmanpreet Kaur (captain)
Smriti Mandhana (vice-captain)
Pratika Rawal
Harleen Deol
Jemimah Rodrigues
Richa Ghosh (wk)
Yastika Bhatia (wk)
Deepti Sharma
Amanjot Kaur
Kashvee Gautam
Sneh Rana
Arundhati Reddy
Tejal Hasabnis
Shree Charani
Shuchi Upadhyay

With fresh faces and experienced hands, India will look to make the most of the tri-series to build a competitive squad for the World Cup later this year.