Rajeshwari to replace injured Ekta in India women's cricket squad

New Delhi, March 21 - Left-arm spinner Rajeshwari Gayakwad was on Wednesday included in the Indian women's squad as replacement for the injured Ekta Bisht for the upcoming tri-series at home, involving England and Australia.

Bisht -- also a left-arm spinner -- injured her left index finger during the third ODI against Australia in Vadodara on March 18, and has been advised 10 days rest.

Gayakwad was initially left out as India had recalled Bisht for the tri-nation tournament, after the latter was dropped for the five-match T20I series in South Africa in February this year. 

She will now make way for Gayakwad, whose previous T20I appearance came in the same tour of South Africa, where she picked up four wickets in three games.

The tri-series kicks off on Thursday with India and Australia facing off at the Brabourne stadium in Mumbai.

India Women's T20I squad: Harmanpreet Kaur (Captain), Smriti Mandhana, Mithali Raj, Veda Krishnamurthy, Jemimah Rodrigues, Anuja Patil, Deepti Sharma, Taniya Bhatia (WK), Poonam Yadav, Jhulan Goswami, Shikha Pandey, Pooja Vastrakar, Rumeli Dhar, Mona Meshram, Rajeshwari Gayakwad.

IANS