India women aim to improve batting form, salvage pride in final T20

HAMILTON: An improved batting performance will be foremost on skipper Harmanpreet Kaur’s mind when India women, seeking a consolation win, face New Zealand in the third and final T20I here Sunday. After winning the ODI series 2-1, Indian women lost the T20 series. With an aim to build a squad for ICC World T20 in 2020, the Indian team management decided to drop team’s senior batswoman Mithali Raj.

Only time will tell whether this inspired call pays dividends in the long run but the results have been far from encouraging in the first two matches which India lost by 23 runs and four wickets respectively.

“We are building a team. Today, we may be facing difficulties but in future we will do well as the young players gain experience. I think the future is good for the team and results will follow,” skipper Harmanpreet had said after conceding the series.

In both games, whether chasing or batting first, India were stuck in the less than 140-run mark, which is below-par against a top team like New Zealand.

The biggest problem has been the lack of fight from the middleorder barring Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues, who were top scorers respectively in the first two games. Debutant Priya Punia’s lack of experience and skipper Harmanpreet Kaur’s lack of form, having scored 17 and five, too are concerns.

SQUAD FOR ENG ODIS

A 15-member squad with Mithali Raj as captain has been announced for the three-match ODI series against England at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on February 22, 25 & 28. The three ODIs are a part of the ongoing ICC Women’s Championship and will be played at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

Squad: Mithali Raj (Captain), Jhulan Goswami, Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur, Deepti Sharma, Taniya Bhatia (wicket-keeper), R Kalpana (wicket-keeper), Mona Meshram, Ekta Bisht, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Poonam Yadav, Shikha Pandey, Mansi Joshi, Punam Raut.