BCCI grants NOC to four women players for 'The Hundred'
The Board of Control for Cricket in India has granted No Objection Certificates to four Indian women cricketers, including T20 Captain Harmanpreet Kaur, to play in the inaugural "The Hundred" tournament in the UK starting on July 21. Opener Smriti Mandhana and all-rounder Deepti Sharma are among the four bound for the 100-ball tournament. The name of the fourth player is not yet known.
These players will extend their stay in the UK
"Harmanpreet, Mandhana, Deepti, and another player have got the clearance as the BCCI has granted the NOC for them," a BCCI source told PTI on conditions of anonymity. It is learned that these four Indian players will extend their stay in the UK following the completion of India's multi-format tour of England in June-July.
Tour starts on June 16, ends on July 15
The tour begins with a one-off Test at Bristol on June 16 and concludes with the third and final T20 International match on July 15. A three-match ODI series is slotted in between.
Players to report on May 27, new head coach likely
The Indian team for the tour is yet to be announced while a new head coach is expected to be named soon by the Cricket Advisory Committee. The selected players will report on May 27. It is unknown how they will travel to the UK as flights from India have been suspended by the UK government due to an unprecedented spike in COVID-19 cases.
First match will be between Oval Invincibles and Manchester Originals
Kaur, Mandhana, Sharma, and Jemimah Rodrigues took part in the now-defunct Kia Super League (KSL) in 2019, the England and Wales Cricket Board's (ECB's) domestic T20 tournament that made way for the Women's Hundred. "The Hundred," which was postponed last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, will kick off with the women's match between the Oval Invincibles and Manchester Originals in London.
