India began their preparations for the upcoming ODI World Cup in style, defeating Sri Lanka by nine wickets in the first match of the Women’s Tri-Nation ODI series in Colombo. It was a rain-curtailed match that eventually became a 39-over game. After bowling out the hosts for 147 in 38.1 overs, India chased down the target with nine wickets in hand.
Experienced players like Smriti Mandhana had a decent outing and gave a quick start to the chase, scoring 43 runs from 46 balls. On her comeback, Sneh Rana was impressive with her three-wicket spell. However, ahead of the series, all eyes were on some youngsters and new faces,
Team India handed out two debut caps yesterday – one to Kashvee Gautam and the other to N Shree Charani. It was clear that the team management is looking to broaden their pool of players ahead of the World Cup.
N Shree Charani – 2/26 in eight overs
This 20-year-old slow left-arm orthodox spinner impressed many during the recent WPL, playing for Delhi Capitals (DC). She played only two matches there but grabbed four wickets. The most impressive part of her bowling was her ability to give the ball flight, something that can deceive any batter with a little help from the pitch. Yesterday was no exception.
She looked calm and composed on her debut and consistently bowled good lines and lengths. Although she went wicketless in her initial overs, she finished with two wickets for 26 runs in eight overs, at an economy of 3.25. Out of her 48 deliveries, 32 were dot balls, showing the pressure she built on the Lankan batters.
Kashvee Gautam – 0/28 in eight overs
With the ODI World Cup at home on the horizon, fans are still unsure about the availability of star all-rounder Pooja Vastrakar. Since the completion of the 2024 T20 World Cup, Pooja has been dealing with injuries and has not yet returned to full fitness. So, when Kashvee Gautam shone brightly in the recent WPL, picking up 11 wickets in nine games for Gujarat Giants (GG), fans demanded her quick inclusion in the national team.
She is seen as a like-for-like replacement for Pooja, and India wasted no time handing her a debut in the first match. Although she went wicketless, conceding 28 runs in eight overs at an economy of 3.50, it was still a decent effort considering the pitch and conditions. Her role might have been to bowl stump-to-stump and keep the batters from scoring freely.
Kashvee also has pace and variations like slower balls and bouncers. If she gets another chance in the next game against South Africa, fans would love to see her use more short deliveries to be even more effective.
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Pratika Rawal – 50* (62)
This 24-year-old opening batter might be thinking that playing international cricket is not as tough as people say. Pratika hit another fifty yesterday, remained not out in the successful chase In just seven ODIs, she has 494 runs to her name at an average of 82.33, including one century and four fifties.
The most impressive part of her batting yesterday was the maturity she showed. When batting with Mandhana, she played second fiddle, taking her time to settle in. However, the intent was always there, as she kept looking for quick singles to keep the scoreboard moving.
On several occasions, it was Pratika who pushed for singles when Mandhana looked a bit unsure. But Pratika took the initiative, ran to the danger end, and completed those singles. Her partnership with Harleen Deol was also impressive, mainly due to their good communication and running between the wickets.
Another young talent who made an impression was Harleen Deol at number three. When the team sheet showed that Yastika Bhatia was missing, it became clear that Harleen would bat at number three. She did well, remaining not out on 48 from 71 balls. Initially, she struggled to time the ball or find gaps, but the point to notice was she did not throw her wicket away. She played sensibly and stayed unbeaten, which would give her a lot of confidence.
Considering this series as preparation for the upcoming ODI World Cup at home, it was a near-perfect match for Team India, especially with the success of the new faces. Now, tomorrow, the South African challenge awaits. For these young talents, if they get another chance, it will be interesting to see how they perform.
Also Read: Sneh Rana, Pratika Rawal Star as India Women Thrash Sri Lanka by Nine Wickets