Mumbai, Aug 19 (IANS) Harmanpreet Kaur is set to lead India for the first time in the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup with Smriti Mandhana as her deputy, as the hosts unveiled a strong 15-member squad for the upcoming edition of the marquee event, commencing on September 30.

Opener Shafali Verma is a notable omission from the squad, while pace spearhead Renuka Thakur returns to the 15-member side after a long injury layoff.

In Pooja Vastrakar’s absence from the side due to a long-standing stress injury, the team management found an able back-up in the form of Amanjot Kaur.

“Amanjot (Kaur) is currently with the India A team in Australia, and she will be in the World Cup squad,” said skipper Harmanpreet in the press conference at BCCI headquarters.

The allrounder was used as the second seamer during the T20I leg of the England tour, which India won 3-2. In that series, apart from bowling seam-ups and picking three wickets across 13 overs, Amanjot also struck an incredible, match-winning 63 not out to shore up a floundering innings.

Heading into the mega event, Harmanpreet and Co. are buoyed by a tri-series win in Sri Lanka (also involving South Africa) and a historic series win in England.

India will head into this year’s tournament on home soil as one of the favourites to claim the famous trophy, though the likes of seven-time champions Australia and four-time winners England will be standing in their way as India attempt to clinch their maiden World Cup title.

Women in Blue will be hoping to go one step further at this year’s tournament than they did in 2017, when they made it to their second Women’s Cricket World Cup Final, missing out narrowly to England in a thrilling finish at Lord’s.

India will kickstart their campaign against Sri Lanka at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on September 30.

India squad for World Cup: Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Smriti Mandhana (VC), Pratika Rawal, Harleen Deol, Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh, Yastika Bhatia, Renuka Singh Thakur, Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana, Sree Charani, Radha Yadav, Amanjot Kaur, Arundhati Reddy, Kranti Gaud.

–IANS

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