Verma back in India women’s squad

NEW DELHI: Wicketkeeper Sushma Verma, who last played for India in April 2018, has been named in the 16-member women’s One-Day International squad for the tour of the West Indies in October-November.

She is the only addition to the Mithali Raj-led contingent that will play South Africa in three ODIs in early October.

For the five Twenty20 Internationals against West Indies, the selectors went with the same squad chosen for the first three T20Is of the ongoing series against South Africa.

This gives young picks Shafali Verma and Harleen Deol a longer rope to prove themselves, with the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2020 coming up in February-March next year.

Sushma has fought her way back into the side on the back of runs in domestic cricket, where she was the second-highest run-getter in the senior T20 competition.

India travel to the Caribbean soon after their campaign against South Africa. They are set to arrive on 28 October, ahead of the first ODI on 1 November, coinciding with Antigua’s Independence Day.

All three ODIs will be played in Antigua, on November 1, 3 and 6, and will count towards the ICC Women’s Championship. India are currently third on the table, while West Indies are seventh, having won just five of their 18 games. The T20Is will be played in St Lucia on 9 and 10 November.