Nottingham, June 28 (IANS) Regular skipper Harmanpreet Kaur has been rested from India’s first T20I against England at Trent Bridge as a precautionary measure after suffering a head injury. In her absence, vice-captain and left-handed opener Smriti Mandhana will be leading the side.

“Captain Harmanpreet Kaur has been rested for the first T20I against England Women in Nottingham as a precautionary measure following a head injury sustained during the T20 Warm-up match against ECB Select XI.”

“She’s being closely monitored by the medical team and is recovering well. Smriti Mandhana is leading the side in her absence,” said a statement from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Saturday. Notably, Smriti had addressed the pre-series press conference on Friday due to Harmanpreet being unwell.

For the T20I series opener, India have handed a debut to left-arm spinner N Shree Charani, while Sneh Rana makes a comeback into the T20I team after two years. In the absence of Harmanpreet, Jemimah Rodrigues is slotted to bat at number four.

England, who elected to bowl first after winning the toss, have brought Tammy Beaumont as a replacement for injured Heather Knight at number four position. They have picked three quick fast bowlers in Lauren Filer, Lauren Bell and Em Arlott, alongside two left-arm spinners in Sophie Ecclestone and Linsey Smith.

Before the game begins at Trent Bridge, the first time it’s hosting a women’s T20I series, both India and England held a minute’s silence before the play began as a mark of respect for victims of Air India plane clash in Ahmedabad on June 12.

Playing XIs

India: Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana (captain), Harleen Deol, Jemimah Rodrigues, Amanjot Kaur, Richa Ghosh (wk), Deepti Sharma, Radha Yadav, Arundhati Reddy, Sneh Rana, and N Shree Charani

England: Sophia Dunkley, Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Nat Sciver-Brunt (captain), Tammy Beaumont, Amy Jones (wk), Alice Capsey, Em Arlott, Sophie Ecclestone, Lauren Filer, Linsey Smith, and Lauren Bell

–IANS

nr/