Women T20 World Cup 2023: Huge loss for India; Star batter ruled out of Pakistan clash

India will be without vice-captain Smriti Mandhana for their blockbuster opening clash of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2023 against Pakistan to be played on Sunday. Smriti Mandhana was on Saturday ruled out with stand-in coach  Hrishikesh Kanitkar revealing the star batter is “still recovering” from a finger injury. Women T20 World Cup 2023: Huge loss for India; Star batter ruled out of Pakistan clash.

The 26-year-old Smriti Mandhana picked up the aforementioned injury while fielding during a warm-up game against defending champions Australia earlier this week. Because of that, she was forced her out of the second warm-up tie against Bangladesh.

 “Smriti Mandhana has a finger injury and is still (in) recovery, so she won’t play most likely. It’s not a fracture and we’re hopeful she will be available from the second game onwards,” said Kanitkar said during a press conference. “You want to be playing the strong teams, the arch-rivals if you can call them that. We are totally prepared for what happens, the atmosphere is good,” he added.

However, the former India men’s team cricketer added that captain Harmanpreet Kaur has fully recovered from a shoulder niggle that she picked up during the T20I tri-series in South Africa. “Harman is fit to play. She has batted for the last two days in the nets, she is fine,” Kanitkar said.

Earlier on Saturday, Smriti Mandhana posted her images on social media in full cricketing gear and captioned them, “Let’s go T20WorldCup2023″.The Indian team is clubbed alongside England, Pakistan, West Indies and Ireland in Group B. India come into the World Cup match having lost the recent Tri-series final to South Africa. They also lost the warm-up game against Australia before beating Bangladesh.

“We can’t say she is out of World Cup yet. But she could miss the Pakistan game,” the ICC source sounded. The left-handed Smriti Mandhana batted at number three versus Australia rather than her standard opening position. Smriti Mandhana, after that, missed India’s subsequent warm-up contest versus Bangladesh on Wednesday.

However, on Saturday, Smriti Mandhana publicised photos that showed her all geared up with the bat in hand and prepared to don the helmet, hinting that she is all warmed up for the game. Team India has been pitted alongside England, Pakistan, Windies and Ireland in Group B. India comes into the T20WC fixture, losing the contemporary tri-series final to South Africa and the practice match versus Australia before besting Bangladesh.

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