File photo of Harmanpreet Kaur.
India captain Harmanpreet Kaur The opening T20 International against formidable hosts England in Northampton on Friday will aim to recover from their long-running form and give a boost to a struggling batting line-up.
England lead 6-4 in the multi-format series after a drawn Test and a 2-1 score-line in ODIs. except Mithali RajRemarkable consistency in ODIs, the Indian batting was disappointing and this is something the team would like to improve upon in the three T20Is.
India’s top two performers in ODIs – Mithali and Jhulan Goswami – will see action from the sidelines. Harmanpreet, who hasn’t scored a fifty in the shortest format since November 2018, will have to lead from the front.
Both the openers – Shafali Verma and Smriti Mandhana – Has been in good touch but the team is expecting more consistency from him, especially the vice-captain. The outstanding performer of the tour – Sneh Rana – is all set to make his first T20I debut since February 2016.
Along with Shafali, another 17-year-old Richa Ghosh is also likely to feature in the playing XI after doing well in the home series against South Africa. Indian batsmen were guilty of consuming too many dot balls in ODIs but that is something they cannot do in the shortest format.
A BCCI official said, “Since ODIs, the focus has been on strike rotation in the nets, variety of fast bowlers and playing conditions. There has been a huge improvement in bowling and fielding but the batsmen need to move on. Hope Yes, they will.” .
India are yet to see the pitch as they are training in Leicester but irrespective of the conditions, they will have to post at least 150 to challenge a team like England.
Apart from Deepti Sharma And Rana, India have a third all-rounder option in pacer Simran Dil Bahadur, who made his debut against South Africa.
England, on the other hand, have brought back opener Danny Wyatt for T20Is after a decent run in domestic cricket. He is set to open with Tammy Beaumont in the absence of Lauren Winfield-Hill. Medium pacer Kate Cross, who took five wickets in ODIs, is not a part of the T20 squad.
“We’ve played some good cricket in both Tests and ODIs and we named a strong team for the T20I series. It’s 6-4 in a multi-format series and it’s a series we’re working hard to win. are.
England head coach Lisa Keightley said, “We probably weren’t doing our best in the third ODI, so I want us to take the field in the first T20I and be ruthless.”
Teams (from):
India: Harmanpreet Kaur (captain) Smriti Mandhana, Deepti Sharma, Jemima Rodrigues, Shafali Verma, Richa Ghosh, Harleen Deol, Sneh Rana, Tania Bhatia, Indrani Roy, Shikha Pandey, Pooja Vastrakarhandjob Arundhati Reddyhandjob Poonam Yadavhandjob Ekta Bisto, Radha Yadav, Simaran Dil Bahadur.
England: Heather Knight (capt), Tammy Beaumont, Katherine Brunt, Freya Davis, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Tash Farrant, Sarah Glenn, Amy Jones, Nat Sciver, Anya Shrubsole, Maddie Villiers, Fran Wilson, Danny Wyatt.
The match will start at 11 pm (actual). PTI BS PM
time
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