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IND W vs SL W: Harmanpreet Kaur chalks out ‘two areas, she personally wants India to do well in'
India are scheduled to play three ODIs against Sri Lanka, having already defeated them 2-1 in the recently-concluded T20I series. This will also mark India's first ODI series post the retirement of former captain Mithali Raj.
After clinching the T20Is against Sri Lanka, the Indian women cricket team led by new captain Harmanpreet Kaur would aim to carry forward the winning momentum as the action shifts to the 50-over format. India are scheduled to play three matches against the island nation, having already defeated them 2-1 in the recently-concluded T20I series. This will also mark India's first ODI series post the retirement of former captain Mithali Raj.
Apart from Mithali, India will also miss out on the services of veteran seamer Jhulan Goswami, who is nursing a side strain.
Reflecting on this new journey, Kaur on Thursday chalked out two particular goals, which she hopes to achieve with the unit going forward. "It is new journey for me also," Kaur, who was handed the ODI captaincy after Mithali retired, said at the pre-match press conference.
"My main motive is to improve our fitness and fielding. These are the two areas where I personally want the team to do well in," she added.
Despite winning the T20Is, the performance by the Indian unit was far from perfect and while the format will change, the regulars in the side would be keen to put up a dominant display against the lowly-ranked Sri Lanka.
The batters struggled on the slow track at Dambulla, unable to breach the 140-run mark in all three T20Is and the likes of Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma would hope for a better and consistent show in the 50-over format.
The last time India played a 50 over match was during the World Cup in March, when the failed to qualify for the semi-finals.
Kaur herself has been in good touch. After finishing as the highest run-getter for her side in the T20 series, it will auger well for India if the skipper can continue her top form alongside all-rounder Pooja Vastrakar.
Young wicketkeeper Richa Gosh will be on the look-out for a good show even though team management used Yastika Bhatia as a stop-gap keeper in one of the T20I games.
With the seasoned Jhulan not in the side, the young and relatively inexperienced fast bowling unit comprising Vastrakar, Simran Bahadur, Meghna Singh and Renuka Singh will be tested by the Lankan batting line-up headlined by Chamari Athapaththu.
The spinners have been largely on the mark but struggled in the third game. Poonam Yadav and Rajeshwari Gayakwad will have their task cut out in the longer format. Kaur and Harleen Doel, with her leg breaks, too can pitch in with some useful overs.
The tourists will also have to work on their fielding. They have been sloppy throughout the the T20 series, missing a slew of run outs and also dropping catches.
Sri Lanka lost the ODI series against Pakistan earlier this month and would be hoping to avoid a second consecutive series loss in the format.
India: Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Smriti Mandhana (VC), Shafali Verma, Yastika Bhatia (wk), S Meghana, Deepti Sharma, Poonam Yadav, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Simran Bahadur, Richa Ghosh (wk), Pooja Vastrakar, Meghna Singh, Renuka Singh, Taniya Bhatia (wk), Harleen Deol.
Sri Lanka: Chamari Athapaththu (c), Nilakshi de Silva, Kavisha Dilhari, Vishmi Gunaratne, Ama Kanchana, Hansima Karunaratne, Achini Kulasuriya, Sugandika Kumari, Harshitha Samarawickrama, Hasini Perera, Udeshika Prabodhani, Oshadi Ranasinghe Inoka Ranaweera, Sathya Sandeepani, Anushka Sanjeewani, Malsha Shehani,Tharika Sewwandi.
Match starts July 1, 10am IST.
-with PTI inputs
