IND vs SA: India Women Look To Avenge ODI Defeat Against South Africa, Harmanpreet Ruled Out Of 1st Match

India women will look to avenge their ODI series loss to South Africa women when they take on their opponents in the three-match T20 International series that begins at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Biha

Opening batter Shafali Verma, whose exclusion from the ODI team surprised many is part of the T20 side. The 17-year-old from Haryana is known to go after the bowling from the start. She is just 13 short of 500 runs in her T20 International career and has a strike rate of 146.24 and has hit 58 fours and 21 sixes.

Mandhana confirmed the right-handed Verma will open. "As of now we both have had good partnerships together since last two years, so we are looking at the same combination," she said at the pre-match media interaction.

India's spin trio Radha Yadav, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, and Poonam Yadav will be the key for India in restricting the Proteas batters although they need to strike quicker than they did in the ODI series where their strike rate was over 70.

The Proteas women, especially Lizelle Lee (288 runs in 4 matches), got the measure of the Indian bowlers in the one-dayers. Among others, Mignon du Preez and Laura Wolvaardt have also chipped in when needed.

India's batters too did well with Punam Raut leading the way with 263 runs in four matches. Raut though is not part of the T20I squad.

T20I squads

India women: Smriti Mandhana (Captain), Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh, Harleen Deol, Sushma Verma (wicket-keeper), Nuzhat Parveen (wicket-keeper), Ayushi Soni, Arundhati Reddy, Radha Yadav, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Poonam Yadav, Mansi Joshi, Monica Patel, C. Prathyusha, Simran Dil Bahadur.

SA women: Sune Luus (captain), Ayabonga Khaka, Shabnim Ismail, Laura Wolvaardt, Trisha Chetty, Sinalo Jafta, Tasmin Britz, Marizanne Kapp, Nondumiso Shangase, Lizelle Lee, Anneke Bosch, Faye Tunniclife, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Mignon du Preez, Nadine de Klerk, Lara Goodall, Tumi Sekhukhune.