Harmanpreet Kaur and Renuka Singh Thakur rested for Ireland series, Shafali Verma ignored again

Harmanpreet had suffered a knee injury during the home series against the West Indies last month, forcing her to sit out of the last two T20Is before returning to play three ODIs.

Renuka was the player of the series in the one-dayers against the West Indies after taking 10 wickets from three matches. However, in the past, stress fracture on the back had troubled her.

Shafali ignored

The selectors have ignored Shafali Verma again. The explosive opener is been in red-hot form.

Shafali was the leading run-getter in the senior women’s one-day trophy. In seven innings, Shafali scored 527 runs at an average of 75.28 and a strike rate of 152.31.

Indian women’s cricketer Shafali Verma. (FILE photo)

Shafali Verma smashed a 115-ball 197 for Haryana in the quarterfinal. However it was not good enough for Haryana as Bengal pulled off the chase with five wickets and five balls to spare. This was the highest successful chase in women’s List A cricket.

She was dropped from the ODI squad for the Australia tour. Later, she was also left out of the squad for the ODIs against West Indies.

In Australia, India tried Priya Punia and Richa Ghosh as Smriti’s opener, which didn’t work as India lost the series 3-0.

Against West Indies, India handed a debut to 24-year-old Pratika Rawal from Delhi.

Rawal scored 134 runs in three innings including a fine 76 in the second match. Rawal and Smriti forged a 110-run partnership in the first and second ODIs.

India’s squad for the three-match ODI series against Ireland: Smriti Mandhana (C), Deepti Sharma (VC), Pratika Rawal, Harleen Deol, Jemimah Rodrigues, Uma Chetry (wk), Richa Ghosh (wk), Tejal Hasabnis, Raghvi Bist, Minnu Mani, Priya Mishra, Tanuja Kanwer, Titas Sadhu, Saima Thakor, Sayali Satghare