Will India Announce the Squad for the Women’s ODI World Cup and Series Against Australia on Tuesday?

New Delhi, Aug 18 (NationPress) The selection committee, led by Neetu David, is set to unveil the squad for the Women’s ODI World Cup and the upcoming three-match home ODI series against Australia on Tuesday. Sources monitoring the situation informed IANS that the meeting of the selection committee is slated for Tuesday afternoon. While there are hints that the World Cup squad might be finalized during this meeting, the official announcement could take place later.

“Further information regarding the announcement of the Women’s ODI World Cup squad is expected once official confirmation is received and logistics are organized. It’s important to note that there is a red alert for heavy rainfall in Mumbai,” the sources mentioned.

Initially, there was speculation that the squads could differ, aiming to keep certain players fresh for the World Cup. However, reports suggest that the same squad will likely be announced, with only minor adjustments based on the decisions made by the five-member selection committee and team management.

Additionally, IANS has learned that the selection committee may form an India A team for a warm-up match against South Africa, scheduled to take place at the BCCI Centre of Excellence Ground in Bengaluru.

The Maharaja Yadavindra Singh PCA International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur will host the first two ODIs between India and Australia on September 14 and 17, with the final match taking place at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on September 20.

This will mark Mullanpur’s inaugural hosting of women’s international cricket, while New Delhi will see a women’s ODI for the first time since November 1995. The Indian team, under the leadership of Harmanpreet Kaur, enters the final phase of its ODI World Cup preparations following victories in the ODI tri-series in Sri Lanka and both white-ball series in England.

The selection meeting is anticipated to address player availability for both the ODIs against Australia and the World Cup. With Smriti Mandhana, Harmanpreet Kaur, Jemimah Rodrigues, and Richa Ghosh as fixed members of the batting order, India is likely to retain Pratika Rawal, who has scored 703 runs since her debut last year, along with Harleen Deol and Yastika Bhatia as the second wicketkeeper-reserve batter.

Discussions will also include Shafali Verma, an explosive opener who has struggled with form. Despite Amol Muzumdar, the head coach, stating Shafali was still in contention for World Cup selection following the T20I series victory in England, her recent scores during the India A tour of Australia have raised concerns.

The absence of Pooja Vastrakar due to a shoulder injury allowed Amanjot Kaur to excel as a seam-bowling all-rounder. However, a recurring back injury from the ODI series in England necessitates cautious management of Amanjot, even during the World Cup.

IANS reports that Amanjot has been cleared to play and is not facing a serious injury, although her all-rounder workload must be managed carefully. One strategy could involve resting her for some matches to preserve her for tougher opponents in the World Cup.

Moreover, it appears that pace spearhead Renuka Singh Thakur, who is recovering from a back stress fracture sustained after the WPL 2025, is on track for full fitness and selection. It remains uncertain whether she will be included for both squads or just the World Cup, given her need to build up bowling loads before the significant event.

From the bowling lineup, Sneh Rana, N. Shree Charani, Kranti Gaud, Deepti Sharma, and Radha Yadav are assured spots. Should both Amanjot and Renuka be selected, seam-bowling all-rounder Arundhati Reddy may be among the standby players, alongside Titas Sadhu and possibly Tejal Hasabnis.

With a lack of a leg-spinner on the team, Prema Rawat may receive a call-up following her strong performances during the ongoing ‘A’ team tour of Australia. Overall, Tuesday promises to be a pivotal day for squad announcements as the women’s team prepares to host the ODI World Cup on home turf after 12 years, aiming for their first championship victory.