Women’s T20 World Cup 2023: Harmanpreet Kaur to miss AU-W vs IN-W match? Who will be India Women Captain?

Harmanpreet Kaur AU-W vs IN-W: The massive breaking news update coming from the India Women’s team camp is that captain Harmanpreet Kaur is very much unlikely to be available for selection during today’s first semi-final of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2023 against Australia scheduled to be hosted at the Newlands in Cape Town. India Women booked a place in the semi-finals of the T20 competition after their 5-run win over Ireland Women in their previous game. The Women in Blue managed to register 3 impressive victories out of their 4 games in the league-stage of the tournament.

Women’s T20 World Cup 2023: Harmanpreet Kaur to miss AU-W vs IN-W match? Who will be India Women Captain?

As per recent reports, Harmanpreet Kaur and Pooja Vastrakar have been unwell since Monday, and the BCCI medical team is assessing whether they can participate in the upcoming semi-final. The BCCI has not yet released any official statement regarding their availability. However, sources suggest that one of the two players is expected to sit out the crucial knockout match against Australia. The specific details of their illness are yet to be disclosed, but reports suggest that both players were briefly hospitalized on Wednesday evening.

The absence of Harmanpreet and Vastrakar could be a significant blow to the Indian team’s chances in the semi-final. Harmanpreet is one of the most experienced players in the squad and a vital cog in the middle order. Her absence would leave a significant void in the team’s batting line-up. Similarly, Pooja Vastrakar is a talented all-rounder who has made valuable contributions with both bat and ball throughout the tournament. If she is unavailable, it would be a significant setback for India’s balance in the playing XI.

The BCCI medical team is closely monitoring the situation, and the team management will have to make some crucial decisions regarding the playing XI based on the availability of these two players. It remains to be seen whether Harmanpreet and Vastrakar recover in time for the crucial semi-final clash against Australia.

In the event that Harmanpreet is unable to play, it is possible that Harleen Deol may be brought in as a replacement as she has a similar playing style. However, it could be challenging to find a substitute for Vastrakar since Shikha Pandey, the only other all-rounder who bowls seam, is already a guaranteed selection. In the absence of Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana will captain the India Women in the semi-final against Australia Women.

India Women Playing 11

1. Smriti Mandhana
2. Shafali Verma
3. Jemimah Rodrigues
4. Harmanpreet Kaur/Harleen Deol
5. Richa Ghosh
6. Deepti Sharma
7. Devika Vaidya
8. Pooja Vastrakar/Radha Yadav
9. Shikha Pandey
10. Rajeshwari Gayakwad
11. Renuka Singh