WPL Stars Earn Maiden Call-up for India’s T20I Squad Against Bangladesh

Indian cricket team has announced the inclusion of fresh faces, Asha Sobhana and Sajana Sajeevan, for the upcoming T20I series against Bangladesh, starting 28 April.

Their selection is a result of their impressive performances in the 2024 Women’s Premier League (WPL).

Sobhana made history as the first Indian cricketer to achieve a five-wicket haul in WPL, recording figures of 5/22 against UP Warriorz. She finished the league with 12 wickets in 10 matches, tying for the second-highest wicket-taker alongside Australian star, Sophie Molineux.

Sajeevan made a grand entrance in the WPL 2024’s opening game. On her debut, she hit a six off the last ball, securing a win for her team, Mumbai Indians, against Delhi Capitals. Despite batting lower down the order, Sajeevan managed to score 87 runs at a striking rate of 158.18 – the second-best in the tournament.

The 16-member squad will be captained by Harmanpreet Kaur, with Smriti Mandhana as the vice-captain. The series, which commences on 28 April, will see all five games played in Sylhet. This series is crucial for both teams as they gear up for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024, scheduled to be held in Bangladesh later this year.

India Squad:

Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Dayalan Hemalatha, Sajana Sajeevan, Richa Ghosh (wk), Yastika Bhatia (wk), Radha Yadav, Deepti Sharma, Pooja Vastrakar, Amanjot Kaur, Shreyanka Patil, Saika Ishaque, Asha Sobhana, Renuka Singh Thakur, Titas Sadhu.