Jemimah, Shikha dropped for ODI World Cup in New Zealand

Star batter Jemimah Rodrigues was on Thursday dropped from the 15-member Indian women's squad for the ICC ODI World Cup to be held in New Zealand from March 4 to April 3.

Veteran Mithali Raj will lead the last edition's runner-up side with Harmanpreet Kaur as her deputy. The 39-year-old Mithali has announced that she would chalk out her retirement plans after the mega-event.

The squad expectedly includes veterans Smriti Mandhana, Deepti Sharma, Jhulan Goswami and the young Shafali Verma among others.

However, Rodrigues and all-rounder Shikha Pandey have been ignored from due to lack of form.

A BCCI source said the two players have been dropped on account of their form in the ODI format.

Rodrigues failed to hit the double figure mark during the last year in all the international assignments she was a part of but was in good touch during The Hundred tournament in England and the subsequent Big Bash League in Australia. She registered scores of 1, 9 and 0 in ODIs against South Africa at home before managing just 8 and 4 in the two ODIs she played in England last year.

Similarly, Pandey has been off colour as she featured in only three ODIs last year.

In Richa Ghosh and Taniya Bhatia, India have included two wicketkeepers for the tour, while Sabbhineni Meghana, Ekta Bisht and Simran Dil Bahadur have been named as three stand-by players.

The same 15-member squad will also feature in a five-ODI  series against New Zealand from February 11 to 24.

India will open their World Cup campaign against arch-rivals Pakistan on March 6 at the Bay Oval, Tauranga before facing hosts New Zealand on March 10 at Hamilton, followed by the West Indies (March 12, Hamilton), defending champions England (March 16, Tauranga), Australia (March 19, Auckland), Bangladesh (March 22, Hamilton) and South Africa (March 27, Christchurch).

In the last edition of the tournament in 2017, India narrowly missed out on creating history as they lost by nine runs to hosts England in the final.

In a meeting held on Wednesday, the All India Women's Selection Committee also named a 16-member squad to be led by Harmanpreet Kaur for the lone T20 International against New Zealand to be played on February 9 before the ODIs.

The one-off T20 and the first ODI against New Zealand will be hosted by Napier, followed by remaining 50-over games in Nelson on February 14 and 16, and Queenstown on February 22 and 24.

India squad for ODI World Cup 2022 & New Zealand ODIs: Mithali Raj (captain), Harmanpreet Kaur (vice-captain), Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Yastika Bhatia, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh (wicketkeeper), Sneh Rana, Jhulan Goswami, Pooja Vastrakar, Meghna Singh, Renuka Singh Thakur, Taniya Bhatia (wicketkeeper), Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Poonam Yadav.

Standby Players: Sabbhineni Meghana, Ekta Bisht, Simran Dil Bahadur.    

India squad for one-off T20I vs New Zealand: Harmanpreet Kaur (captain), Smriti Mandhana (vice-captain), Shafali Verma, Yastika Bhatia, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh (wicketkeeper), Sneh Rana, Pooja Vastrakar, Meghna Singh, Renuka Singh Thakur, Taniya Bhatia (wicketkeeper), Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Poonam Yadav, Ekta Bisht, S Meghna, Simran Dil Bahadur.