Smriti Mandhana will captain India in their opening T20I against England at Trent Bridge, as regular skipper Harmanpreet Kaur has been rested following a head injury.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced on Saturday that the decision was taken as a precautionary measure after Harmanpreet sustained the injury during a warm-up match against the ECB Select XI.
“Harmanpreet Kaur has been rested for the first T20I against England Women in Nottingham as a precautionary measure following a head injury.
She is being closely monitored by the medical team and is recovering well. Smriti Mandhana is leading the side in her absence,” read the BCCI’s statement.
India has made notable changes for the series opener. Left-arm spinner N Shree Charani has been handed her debut, while Sneh Rana returns to the T20I side after a two-year hiatus.
Without Harmanpreet, Jemimah Rodrigues is expected to take on the pivotal number four batting position.
For England, Tammy Beaumont replaces the injured Heather Knight at number four.
The home side’s bowling attack includes three pacers—Lauren Filer, Lauren Bell, and Em Arlott—alongside left-arm spinners Sophie Ecclestone and Linsey Smith.
Before the match began, both teams observed a minute’s silence to honour the victims of the tragic Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad on June 12.
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The game also marks a significant moment for Trent Bridge, as it hosts a women’s T20I for the first time.
Team
India: Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana (captain), Harleen Deol, Jemimah Rodrigues, Amanjot Kaur, Richa Ghosh (wk), Deepti Sharma, Radha Yadav, Arundhati Reddy, Sneh Rana, N Shree Charani
England: Sophia Dunkley, Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Nat Sciver-Brunt (captain), Tammy Beaumont, Amy Jones (wk), Alice Capsey, Em Arlott, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, Linsey Smith, Lauren Bell
With Mandhana at the helm and new faces in both line-ups, the series opener promises an exciting start to the T20I showdown between India and England.
