Mithali Raj, Jhulan Goswami not included in the T20 Challenge 2022 squads

Seasoned Indian women cricketers Mithali Raj, Jhulan Goswami and Shikha Pandey are notable absentees in the squads announced by the Indian Cricket Board for the upcoming World T20 Challenge 2022. The Velocity side formerly led by Raj will now be captained by Deepti Sharma while Smriti Mandhana and Harpreet Mandhana will continue to lead Trailblazers and Supernovas respectively. 

Goswami and Raj despite being previously retired from the T20 competition featured in the 2020 edition of the tournament. Pandey who played for Velocity that time, was excluded from   India’s home tour against South Africa in March 21’ and afterwards missed the 50 over World Series in New Zealand earlier this year. Premier ball striker Veda Krishnamurthy is another absentee from the squads, that sees the inclusion of Kiran Navgire who grabbed all the headlines with her unbeaten knock of 162 for Nagaland in the Domestic T20 competition. 

The Foreign player contingent for the season includes Alana King, Sophie Ecclestone, Sophia Dunkley-Brown, Kate Cross (England), Laura Wolvaardt, Sune Luus, Ayabonga Khaka (South Africa), Deandra Dottin, Hayley Matthews (West Indies), Salma Khatun, Sharmin Akter (Bangladesh) and Natthakan Chantham (Thailand). Australian players who missed the 2020 due to a scheduling clash with the Women’s Australian T20 Cricket have been handed the contract this season. 

2020 finalists- Trailblazers and Supernovas will kick off season four of the T20 challenge on May 23. For a second time running, a team will have a little more than 12 hours of recovery between games with Supernovas scheduled to play the evening game on May 23 and the afternoon clash the following day. The final will be played on May 28. All games will be held at Pune’s MCA Stadium.