ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024: India Women complete squad analysis. What’s ailing them to win the coveted title?
The ninth edition of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup is set to be played in the UAE from October 3 to 20, 2024. 10 teams will compete in this tournament, where Australia go in as the defending champions.
India Women is yet to win a Women’s T20 World Cup. Their best edition yet was 2020, when they emerged as runners-up, losing to Australia in the final. However, they have another chance to enter the books as just the fourth team to lift the trophy after the Aussies, England, and West Indies.
With the tournament being played in the UAE (Dubai and Sharjah), teams would need to have all-around depth. They would require solid batters to cope with the possibly slow and sticky batting conditions on offer. Pacers will need to take advantage of the swing in the evening, and quality spinners need to stem the flow of runs.
Here’s an analysis of the India squad selected for the marquee tournament and their corresponding chances of title glory.
India’s complete squad for ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024:
Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Smriti Mandhana (VC), Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (wk), Yastika Bhatia (wk)*, Pooja Vastrakar, Arundhati Reddy, Renuka Singh Thakur, Dayalan Hemalatha, Asha Sobhana, Radha Yadav, Shreyanka Patil*, Sajana Sajeevan. (*Yastika Bhatia and Shreyanka Patil are two players who are in the final 15 but are subject to fitness clearance.)
Travelling Reserves: Uma Chetry (wk), Tanuja Kanwer, Saima Thakor
Non-Travelling Reserves: Raghvi Bist, Priya Mishra
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India Women’s batting depth
India, on paper, have a settled T20 batting unit for any given conditions. In Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma, they have an opening pair who can tear apart any bowling attack on their day. They have an immense understanding of each other’s game, having opened together for a long period across formats.
The ‘Women in Blue’ have banked upon Dayalan Hemalatha at No. 3 in the absence of Yastika Bhatia in the Asia Cup, and the former has done quite decently. So, she is likely to play the role if Yastika doesn’t clear the fitness test.
Their middle order comprises a mercurial Jemimah Rodrigues, who has upped her T20 game in the recent past. She is well supported by skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, who is still a force to reckon with in the format. Following them would be keeper-batter Richa Ghosh, who has succeeded in the finisher’s role.
Presence of genuine all-rounders & Part-time bowlers
India have Deepti Sharma in their ranks, who is a quality off-spinner. She is someone who can bowl her full quota of overs without leaking runs and is a genuine wicket-taker. Her performance in the recent Women’s Hundred tournament was quite good, picking up 8 wickets in as many games and scoring 212 runs at a strike rate of over 132.
Their batting line-up extends to No. 8 in the form of Pooja Vastrakar. The pacer, capable of bowling at high speeds, is also a powerful lower-order batter and can hit the ball long.
Another important thing to note about this team is the presence of part-time bowlers. Batters like Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Varma, and Harmanpreet can all bowl a few overs if required. These players have rolled their arms in the recent past, and that too to good effect.
Read More: What India Women need to set right in T20Is?
Bowling departmentÂ
In the spin department, Deepti Sharma will be joined by leg-spinner Asha Shobana, who impressed everyone in the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2024, taking 12 wickets in 10 games. Radha Yadav, who is a livewire in the field, apart from being a wicket-taking option with the ball, will be in support. The other spinner in the squad is Shreyanka Patil. She is nursing a finger injury, leaving her participation in doubt.
Likewise, in terms of the pace unit, India women have Arundhati Reddy, who has fared decently so far. Swing bowler Renuka Singh Thakur is another marquee name. With her prodigious swing bowling capabilities, the latter must be proved to be a cornerstone of India’s pace bowling in recent years.
They sweat on the fitness of two players, Yastika Bhatia and Shreyanka Patil. But overall, India’s squad looks complete. They have a great chance of going all the way in the tournament.
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