Sajana debuts as India opt to bat vs Bangladesh

Toss India opt to bat vs Bangladesh

India captain Harmanpreet Kaur won the toss in the opening game of the five-match T20I series and opted to bat against Bangladesh in Sylhet.

India handed a debut to the big-hitting spin-allrounder S Sajana, the breakout star for Mumbai Indians in the 2024 WPL. The visitors decided to field a three-spin attack with Deepti Sharma, Shreyanka Patil and Radha Yadav and two pacers in Renuka Singh Thakur and Pooja Vastrakar. Radha, the left-arm spinner, has returned to the XI after more than a year following an impressive WPL season. With Richa Ghosh as first-choice keeper, Yastika Bhatia has slotted in as a pure batter.

Bangladesh made two changes to the XI that last played against Australia at home, with top-order batter Sobhana Mostary replacing Ritu Moni and offspinner Sultana Khatun coming in for spin allrounder Shorifa Khatun.

Both teams are coming off series defeats against Australia and will be keen to get back to form with an eye on the T20 World Cup scheduled for September-October in Bangladesh.

India XI: Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana, Yastika Bhatia, Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), Richa Ghosh (wk), Deepti Sharma, S Sajana, Pooja Vastrakar, Renuka Singh Thakur, Shreyanka Patil, Radha Yadav

Bangladesh XI: Dilara Akter, Murshida Khatun, Sobhana Mostary, Shorna Akter, Fahima Khatun, Rabeya Khan, Nigar Sultana (capt, wk), Nahida Akter, Sultana Khatun, Marufa Akter, Fariha Trishna

Srinidhi Ramanujam is a sub-editor with ESPNcricinfo