Mumbai, Dec 9 (IANS) After a match-winning performance against South Africa in the Women’s ODI World Cup final, Shafali Verma rejoins the Indian team for the five-match T20I series against Sri Lanka starting on December 21.

The 15-person team includes G. Kamalini and Vaishnavi Sharma, both of whom played for India in the Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup.

Smriti Mandhana has been named Harmanpreet Kaur’s deputy in the leadership department as the latter leads the Women In Blue in the series against Sri Lanka.

“The Women’s Selection Committee has picked India’s squad for the upcoming five-match T20I series against Sri Lanka Women,” BCCI said in a statement.

The team also includes other members of the recent World Cup-winning squad, as the selection committee has named Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Harleen Deol, Amanjot Kaur, Arundhati Reddy, Kranti Gaud, and Renuka Singh Thakur. The team’s two wicketkeepers are Richa Ghosh and Kamalini.

India’s five-match T20I series will begin on 21st December in Visakhapatnam, which will also host the second game on 23rd December. The action will then shift to Thiruvananthapuram for the final stretch, with the third T20I scheduled on 26th December, followed by the fourth on 28th December and the series finale on 30th December. The two venues will share the spotlight as India round off their year with a back-to-back contest in the shortest format.

The five-match series will mark the beginning of both teams’ preparations for the 2026 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup. Following their historic victory in the 50-over format, the Indian team will now shift their focus to the 20-over World Cup, set to be held in England from June 2026.

India’s squad: Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Smriti Mandhana (VC), Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma, Harleen Deol, Amanjot Kaur, Arundhati Reddy, Kranti Gaud, Renuka Singh Thakur, Richa Ghosh (WK), G Kamalini (WK), Sree Charani, Vaishnavi Sharma

–IANS

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