New Delhi: Experienced batswoman Mithali Raj will lead India in the ICC Women’s World Cup beginning in England and Wales from June 24, the Board of Control for Cricket in India announced here on Monday.
India are grouped with Australia, England and New Zealand and open their campaign against the hosts at the County Ground in Derby.
Left-arm spinner Rajeshwari Gayakwad and all-rounder Shikha Pandey, who had a successful stint in the ongoing quadrangular series in Potchefstroom, South Africa, kept their places.
Team: Mithali Raj (capt), Harmanpreet, Veda Krishnamurthy, Mona Meshram, Punam Raut, Deepti Sharma, Jhulan Goswami, Shikha Pandey, Ekta Bisht, Sushma Verma, Mansi Joshi, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Poonam Yadav, Nuzhat Parveen, Smriti Mandhana
Deepti’s 188 sets up India’s 249-run win
In Potchefstroom, Deepti Sharma produced a stunning 188-run knock, the second highest individual score in women’s ODIs, to set up India’s massive 249-run win over Ireland in the quadrangular series.
The 19-year-old shared a record 320-run opening stand with Poonam Raut (109) as India rattled a commanding 358/2.
Deepti is now behind top-scorer Australia’s Belinda Clarke, who had cracked an unbeaten 229 against Denmark in 1997 at Mumbai. The knock is the best by an Indian as she betterd the unbeaten 138 by Jaya Sharma against Pakistan in 2005.
India then bundled out Ireland for 109 overs to hand the rivals an embarrassing defeat.
