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Niki Prasad will lead almost the same squad that won the recent Under-19 Asia Cup for women at next month’s U-19 World Cup, in Malaysia. The only change in the 15-member squad is the inclusion of Vaishnavi S in place of 15-year-old medium-pacer Nandhana S, who has been named among the stand-bys.
The other standby players are Ira J and Anadi T, who have replaced Hurley Gala, Happy Kumari, G Kavya Sree and Gayatri Survase from the standby list for the Asia Cup.
The U-19 women recently lifted the Asia Cup in Kuala Lumpur by beating Bangladesh by 41 runs in the final.
Gongadi Trisha, the Player of the Match in the final, had top-scored with 52 off 47 balls while opening the batting with G Kamalini, who had bagged a WPL contract with Mumbai Indians on the same day she scored an unbeaten 44 off 29 against Pakistan in the Asia Cup.
The others from the squad to get their first WPL deals were Prasad (Delhi Capitals) and VJ Joshitha (RCB). Medium-pacer Shabnam Shakil was already with Gujarat Giants, and has the experience of playing four WPL games and a couple of white-ball games for India A in Australia in August.
Trisha, Shakil and Sonam Yadav will be playing their second U-19 World Cups, having been part of the previous edition too.
India’s win at the Asia Cup came after an unbeaten run (apart from a washed-out game against Nepal). They won their other league game, against Pakistan, and beat Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in the Super Fours before winning the final.
The upcoming World Cup will be the second such edition, to be played from January 18 to February 2. The 16 teams have been divided into four groups of four each; India are the defending champions and in Group A along with Malaysia, West Indies and Sri Lanka. India will play all their league games at the Bayuemas Oval in Kuala Lumpur.
India’s campaign will start against West Indies on January 19 before they play Malaysia on January 21 and Sri Lanka on January 23.
After the league stage, three teams will progress from each group for the Super Sixes in which there will be two groups of six teams each. Every team will carry forward their wins, points and net run-rate, which is secured against their fellow Super Six qualifiers. The top two sides from each group will then play the semi-finals on January 31 before the final on February 2.
Niki Prasad (capt), Sanika Chalke (vice-capt), G Trisha, G Kamalini (wk), Bhavika Ahire (wk), Ishwari Awasare, Mithila Vinod, VJ Joshitha, Sonam Yadav, Parunika Sisodiya, Kesari Drithi, Aayushi Shukla, Anandita Kishor, MD Shabnam, Vaishnavi S
Standby: Nandhana S, Ira J, Anadi T
