No place for Verma in India’s squad for Women’s Cricket World Cup

By Canadian Press on August 19, 2025.

NEW DELHI (AP) — Opener Shafali Verma missed out on a home World Cup appearance as the India women’s squad for the ODI tournament was announced Tuesday.

Pratika Rawal sealed her place instead as the likely opening partner for vice-captain Smriti Mandhana.

India, led by Harmanpreet Kaur at the Sept. 30-Nov. 2 Women’s World Cup, will be aiming for its first global title in the 50-over format after twice finishing as runner-up to Australia.

Verma featured for India A in Australia, but Rawal’s form – 703 runs in 14 innings since her debut in December — helped secure the spot.

Jemimah Rodrigues makes the cut after missing out in 2022 – a first ODI World Cup appearance for the star batter. No. 3 Harleen Deol, allrounders Amanjot Kaur and Arundhati Reddy, left-arm spinners Radha Yadav and Sree Charani, and pacer Kranti Goud will also feature in their first World Cup.

India will open its World Cup campaign against Sri Lanka on Sept. 30. The game was slated to be played in Bengaluru, but a change in venue is anticipated because of the post-Indian Premier League tragedy involving Royal Challengers Bengaluru where 11 fans lost their lives in a stampede. An ICC announcement is expected this week.

Bengaluru was also supposed to host the final on Nov. 2, and that could also be changed.

Colombo will host the final if Pakistan qualifies. Pakistan will play all its games in Sri Lanka, including against India on Oct. 5.

India will play three ODIs with Australia – on Sept. 14, 17 and 20 – in the buildup to the tournament.

It will be the fourth time India has hosted the Women’s Cricket World Cup in the one-day format.

India’s women have also never won the world Twenty20 title, their best run finishing in a heavy loss to to Australia in the final in 2020.

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India squad: Harmanpreet Kaur (captain), Smriti Mandhana (vice-captain), Pratika Rawal, Harleen Deol, Jemimah Rodrigues, Richa Ghosh, Yastika Bhatia, Deepti Sharma, Sneh Rana, Amanjot Kaur, Radha Yadav, Sree Charani, Kranti Goud, Arundhati Reddy, Renuka Thakur.

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AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

Chetan Narula, The Associated Press