Jemimah, Shikha dropped from Mithali Raj-led India squad for ICC Women's World Cup in NZ
New Delhi(PTI): Star batter Jemimah Rodrigues was on Thursday dropped from the 15-member Indian women's cricket squad announced for the ICC ODI World Cup to be held in New Zealand from March 4 to April 3.
Veteran Mithali Raj will lead the last edition's runner-up side with Harmanpreet Kaur as her deputy. The 39-year-old Mithali has announced that she would chalk out her retirement plans after the mega-event.
The squad expectedly includes veterans Smriti Mandhana, Deepti Sharma, Jhulan Goswami and the young Shafali Verma among others. However, Rodrigues and all-rounder Shikha Pandey have been ignored from due to lack of form.
A BCCI source confirmed to PTI that the two have been "dropped" on account of their form in the ODI format.
Rodrigues failed to hit the double figure mark during the last year in all the international assignments she was a part of but was in good touch during The Hundred tournament in England and the subsequent Big Bash League in Australia.
Pandey was similarly off colour during her national duties.
In Richa Ghosh and Taniya Bhatia, India have included two wicket-keepers for the tour, while Sabbhineni Meghana, Ekta Bisht and Simran Dil Bahadur have been named as three stand-by players.
The same 15-member squad will also feature in a five-ODI series against New Zealand from February 11 to 24.
India will open their World Cup campaign against arch-rivals Pakistan on March 6 at the Bay Oval, Tauranga before facing hosts New Zealand on March 10 at Hamilton, followed by the West Indies (March 12, Hamilton), defending champions England (March 16, Tauranga), Australia (March 19, Auckland), Bangladesh (March 22, Hamilton) and South Africa (March 27, Christchurch).
In the last edition of the tournament in 2017, India narrowly missed out on creating history as they lost by nine runs to hosts England in the title clash.
In a meeting held on Wednesday, the All India Women's Selection Committee also named a 16-member squad to be led by Harmanpreet Kaur for the lone T20 International against New Zealand to be played on February 9 before the ODIs.
The one-off T20 and the first ODI against New Zealand will be hosted by Napier, followed by remaining 50-over games in Nelson on February 14 and 16, and Queenstown on February 22 and 24.
The Squads:
ICC Women's World Cup 2022 & New Zealand ODIs: Mithali Raj (C), Harmanpreet Kaur (VC), Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Yastika Bhatia, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh (WK), Sneh Rana, Jhulan Goswami, Pooja Vastrakar, Meghna Singh, Renuka Singh Thakur, Taniya Bhatia (WK), Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Poonam Yadav.
Standby Players: Sabbhineni Meghana, Ekta Bisht, Simran Dil Bahadur.
One-off T20I against New Zealand: Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Smriti Mandhana (VC), Shafali Verma, Yastika Bhatia, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh (WK), Sneh Rana, Pooja Vastrakar, Meghna Singh, Renuka Singh Thakur, Taniya Bhatia (WK), Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Poonam Yadav, Ekta Bisht, Sabbhineni Meghna, Simran Dil Bahadur.
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UP Cong chief Ajay Rai hospitalised after fainting, stable
Lucknow (PTI): Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Rai was hospitalised here after he fell unconscious due to low sodium levels, party leaders said on Saturday.
They said he was admitted to Medanta Hospital on Friday evening and is stable.
"Ajay Rai was admitted to Medanta Hospital in Lucknow at around 6 pm on Friday after he fell unconscious as his sodium levels had dropped. He fell unconscious at his residence in Lucknow. For the entire day, he was engaged in party programmes and had also gone to the airport," Uttar Pradesh Congress spokesperson Anshu Awasthi told PTI.
Congress in-charge of Uttar Pradesh Avinash Pande told PTI, "Now, he (Ajay Rai) is stable and I am also reaching Lucknow."
Medanta Hospital Director Dr Rakesh Kapoor told PTI that Rai collapsed at his home on Friday evening and was subsequently admitted to the hospital's emergency ward.
Medical examinations revealed that Rai was suffering from a sodium deficiency and elevated blood pressure. Doctors administered immediate treatment and he is doing significantly better now, Kapoor said.
A team of doctors is monitoring his health. Rai is conversing with others and his condition is stable, he added.
In a post on X late Friday night, Prime Minister Narendra Modi wished Rai a speedy recovery.
Rai hails from Varanasi and had contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections against Modi from the parliamentary constituency. The Congress appointed him as the Uttar Pradesh unit chief in 2023.
