Harmanpreet ruled out of 1st T20I vs South Africa

LUCKNOW: India women, who are looking to avenge their ODI series loss to South Africa women in the three-match T20 series that begins at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium here on Saturday, suffered a setback even before the start.

Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur was ruled out of the series opener due to injury on Friday.

"She has been ruled out of tomorrow's match and rest of the updates on her injury will be given by the medical team and the team management. It will be better for them to speak about it rather than me," said Smriti Mandhana who will now lead the Indian team.

Harmanpreet Kaur had suffered a hip-flexor injury while batting in the fifth and final ODI on Wednesday. She had to retire hurt on 30 and did not take field when India bowled.

Saturday's T20 would be India's first game in the format since March 8 last year, when they played and lost the T20 World Cup final to Australia.

India had lost the ODI series 1-4 preceding these T20s, managing to win only the second match as their bowling faltered. The spinners were disappointing as Proteas women batters had it easy, losing no more than five wickets in all the four ODIs they won. India bowled their opponents out in the only game they won.

Opening batter Shafali Verma, whose exclusion from the ODI team surprised many is part of the T20 side. The 17-year-old from Haryana is known to go after the bowling from the start. She is just 13 short of 500 runs in her T20 International career and has a strike rate of 146.24 and has hit 58 fours and 21 sixes.

Mandhana confirmed the right-handed Verma will open. "As of now we both have had good partnerships together since last two years, so we are looking at the same combination," she said at the pre-match media interaction.

India's spin trio Radha Yadav, Rajeshwari Gayakwad and Poonam Yadav will be the key for India in restricting the Proteas batters although they need to strike quicker than they did in the ODI series where their strike rate was over 70. IANS

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