ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2023: Shikha Pandey returns; Harmanpreet Kaur to lead

Veteran pacer Shikha Pandey on Wednesday made a surprise return to India's 15-member squad for the 2023 ICC Women's T20 World Cup in South Africa. The ICC event will be played from February 10 to 26. Shikha last played for India in October 2021 before being controversially dropped from the team. Her inclusion also shows the need for more depth in the pace bowling department. The 33-year-old, whose strength is to swing the ball, has featured in three Tests, 55 One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and 56 Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is). Harmanpreet Kaur will lead the side, with Smriti Mandhana being her deputy.

Jemimah Rodrigues has retained her place in the team despite low returns in India's 1-4 series loss to mighty Australia. Left-arm pacer Anjali Sarvani is also part of the team following her debut series against Australia. The other pace bowling options include Renuka Thakur and Pooja Vastrakar, whose inclusion in the squad is subject to fitness.

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The Australia series exposed India's frailties in the bowling department, and the team has a lot of work to do before the ICC event. The spinners in the group include all-rounders Deepti Sharma and Devika Vaidya, besides Radha Yadav and Rajeshwari Gayakwad. Shafali Verma and Richa Ghosh are already in South Africa with the U-19 team.

India lost to Australia in the 2020 T20WC final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) also announced the squad for the tri-series that will take place before the mega event. The T20WC reserves -- Sneh Rana, S Meghana and Meghna Singh -- are part of the tri-series squad. The tri-series involving India, South Africa and West Indies begins on January 19.

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Sushma Verma, who last played for India in March 2021, has made a comeback for the tri-series. Uncapped all-rounder Amanjot Kaur is the lone fresh face in the squad. India will open its tri-series campaign against hosts South Africa, on January 19 before facing the Windies on January 23. All teams play each other twice before the final on February 2.

India's T20WC Squad: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana (vc), Shafali Verma, Yastika Bhatia (wk), Richa Ghosh (wk), Jemimah Rodrigues, Harleen Deol, Deepti Sharma, Devika Vaidya, Radha Yadav, Renuka Thakur, Anjali Sarvani, Pooja Vastrakar, Rajeshwari Gayakwad and Shikha Pandey.

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India's squad for tri-series: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana (vc), Yastika Bhatia (wk), Jemimah Rodrigues, Harleen Deol, Deepti Sharma, Devika Vaidya, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Radha Yadav, Renuka Thakur, Meghna Singh, Anjali Sarvani, Shushma Verma (wk), Amanjot Kaur, Pooja Vastrakar, Sabbhineni Meghana, Sneh Rana and Shikha Pandey.

(With inputs from PTI)