Harmanpreet Kaur emphasizes positivity ahead of West Indies WT20I series
As her squad gears up for the upcoming WT20I series against West Indies, Indian women's cricket team captain, Harmanpreet Kaur, is all about positivity. This comes after the team lost the WODI series to Australia. "When you have very less time, it's very difficult to come back and reflect on the things which we have done in the past but at the same time, it's important to keep talking about the positives," said Kaur in a press conference on Saturday.
Kaur praises young players, anticipates strong performance
Kaur has praised the young players in her team for their domestic performances. She emphasized their huge contributions and positive attitude, saying, "The young girls who have come in the team have done really well in the domestic circuit - they have got a lot of runs, so they are also positive and you know, they are batting really well." This praise highlights Kaur's faith in her squad's ability to deliver strongly against West Indies.
Squad changes and new opportunities for T20I series
Ahead of the T20I series, selectors also made changes to India's white-ball squads. Fast bowler Arundhati Reddy was dropped while Nandini Kashyap and Raghvi Bist got their maiden call-ups. Kaur had said about their inclusion: "Both of them have done really well in the Challenger Trophy, which we just played few days back and that's why they have got the opportunity."
Kashyap and Bist's impressive domestic performances
Kashyap was a star performer in this year's Senior Women's T20 Trophy. She captained Uttarakhand with 247 runs in seven innings, including an unbeaten 117 against Pondicherry. Bist dazzled with three consecutive half-centuries during India A's one-dayers against Australia A in Mackay. She also scored a 51-ball 71 in the final of the Senior Women's T20 Challenger Trophy for Team E against Team A.
India's WT20I squad for West Indies series
India WT20I squad: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana (vc), Nandini Kashyap, Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (WK), Uma Chetry (WK), Deepti Sharma, Sajana Sajeevan, Raghvi Bist, Renuka Singh Thakur, Priya Mishra, Titas Sadhu, Saima Thakor, Minnu Mani, Radha Yadav.
