Devika Vaidya to lead India A in Emerging Women's Asia Cup
BCCI
Devika Vaidya has been picked as the skipper of the India A women's team for the tour of Bangladesh, followed by a four-nation Emerging Women's Asia Cup in Sri Lanka to be played in October. The leg-spinning all-rounder had last played an ODI for India against England in Nagpur last April.
Indian Women's Selection Committee met in Mumbai today to pick the 15-member squad for both tournaments and after a lot of deliberations, they appointed former Maharashtra all-rounder as the captain. Recently, Vaidya led her team to victory in the U-23 Women's Challenger Trophy and will now be representing Chhattisgarh in the 2019-20 domestic season. She had last played an ODI for India against England in Nagpur last April.
The series has also provided Madhya Pradesh wicketkeeper-bat Nuzhat Parween an opportunity to make a comeback opportunity. Parween had last represented India just before the 2017 World Cup, against Ireland at the ODI quadrangular series in South Africa in May. Apart from her, R Kalpana, who was the reserve wicketkeeper in the national team in the home ODI series against England in February earlier this year, has also returned to the national fold after missing the cut for the upcoming South Africa series.
Impressive performances at the age-group level consistently in the preceding domestic seasons also helped the likes of Tanushree Sarkar, Sushree Dibyadarshini and Manali Dakshini earn India A call-up. This will also offer them a chance to impress the national selectors ahead of the next year's home season.
While India A are scheduled to play three one-dayers and as many T20s against hosts Bangladesh in Cox's Bazar and Chattogram respectively, they will then depart for Sri Lanka which is hosting the inaugural four-team Emerging Women's Asia Cup from October 20 to 28 and the team same team will take part in both the series.
Squad: Devika Vaidya (Captain), S Meghana (vice-captain), Yastika Bhatia, Tejal Hasabnis, Tanushree Sarkar, Simarn Dil Bahadur, Nuzhat Parveen, R Kalpana, Manali Dakshini, Kshama Singh, Anjali Sarwani, Minnu Mani, Sushree Dibyadarshini, TP Kanwar, Rashi Kanojia
