By Asha Sobhana and Sajana Sajeevan, standout performers in the WPL 2024, have been given their maiden call-ups to the Indian T20I squad for the upcoming five-match tour of Bangladesh. Jemimah Rodrigues, who scored 235 runs for runners-up Delhi Capitals, has been rested due to a back injury and is currently undergoing rehabilitation at the NCA.
Asha was the second-highest wicket-taker (12) in WPL 2024 and also the second best for champions RCB, behind Purple Cap winner Shreyanka Patil (13), while Sajana made a mark with a first-ball six to win Mumbai Indians a final-ball thriller on the opening night against eventual finalists Delhi Capitals.
The squad includes Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Smriti Mandhana (VC), Shafali Verma, Dayalan Hemalatha, Sajana Sajeevan, Richa Ghosh (wk), Yastika Bhatia (wk), Radha Yadav, Deepti Sharma, Pooja Vastrakar, Amanjot Kaur, Shreyanka Patil, Saika Ishaque, Asha Sobhana, Renuka Singh Thakur, and Titas Sadhu.
Asha and Sajana reveive their first call
D Hemalatha and Radha Yadav make a comeback. Hemalatha last represented India in the 2022 Asia Cup final in Bangladesh, while Radha had been on the sidelines since India’s semi-final exit at the 202 T20 World Cup in South Africa.
Minnu Mani and Mannat Kashyap have been dropped from India’s squad. They were part of the team’s last T20I assignment, against Australia at home at the start of the year.
India will play five T20Is in Bangladesh as preparation for the upcoming T20 World Cup in the country, in September-October. The series kicks off on April 28, and the final game will be played on May 9. All games except the third and the fourth T20I are night matches, and will be played in Sylhet.
