Harmanpreet Kaur Returns as Captain but Misses Key Playing XI Adjustments for Semi-Final

New Delhi: In a significant turn of events, Harmanpreet Kaur returned to lead the Indian women’s cricket team in their crucial semi-final match against Bangladesh in the Women’s Asia Cup 2024. However, the experienced captain overlooked some vital changes to the playing XI that had been planned for this pivotal game.

For the semi-final on July 26, 2024, Uma Chetry was set to make her debut in the tournament, replacing Dayalan Hemalatha in the playing XI. Additionally, Pooja Vastrakar, who had been rested for the previous match against Nepal, rejoined the squad, taking Arundhati Reddy’s spot. Conversely, S Sajana, who had played in the last game, was benched with Harmanpreet’s return to the lineup.

During the toss, Kaur expressed her optimism about the team’s performance, stating, “We’ve played excellent cricket so far, and we want to continue that today. The powerplay phase is crucial, regardless of whether we’re batting first or second. Bangladesh is a formidable team and will provide tough competition, but we need to stay focused on our strengths.”

Kaur led her team’s pre-match huddle with encouraging words, urging her players to give their best performance against their neighboring rivals. Despite the oversight at the toss, the Indian team was prepared to make a strong impression with their revised lineup.

India Women (Playing XI): Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana, Uma Chetry, Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh (w), Deepti Sharma, Pooja Vastrakar, Radha Yadav, Tanuja Kanwar, Renuka Thakur Singh

Bangladesh Women (Playing XI): Dilara Akter, Murshida Khatun, Nigar Sultana (w/c), Rumana Ahmed, Ishma Tanjim, Ritu Moni, Rabeya Khan, Shorna Akter, Nahida Akter, Jahanara Alam, Marufa Akter