Why is Smriti Mandhana not playing today’s India-W vs Pakistan-W Women’s T20 World Cup match in Cape Town?

During the fourth match of ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2023 between India Women and Pakistan Women in Cape Town, Pakistan captain Bismah Maroof has won the toss and chose to bat in the hope of putting on board a formidable innings total.

“We’d like to bat first. It is a dry wicket [and] won’t change much. So, we’d like to put up a total. We have the confidence because we won against India last time [during Women’s Asia Cup 2022] but conditions are different here,” Maroof told Star Sports Network at the toss.

Pakistan have made a couple of changes to their Playing XI from the last T20I against Australia in Hobart last month. Batter Sidra Ameen and spinner Nashra Sandhu are playing this match in place of all-rounder Omaina Sohail and spinner Tuba Hassan.

“It is unlucky she [Diana Baig] is not here with us but this is an opportunity for someone else to perform,” Maroof said with respect to pacer Diana Baig out of the World Cup due to a fractured finger.

Why is Smriti Mandhana not playing today vs Pakistan?

Much like her counterpart, India captain Harmanpreet Kaur wanted to bat first as well. However, having lost the toss, Kaur laid emphasis on “batting well” in a run-chase.

“We wanted to bat because these wickets are a bit tricky. We are a very good bowling side. Our bowlers performed well in the [South Africa T20I] tri-series before as well,” Kaur told Star Sports Network at the toss.

India, meanwhile, have made three changes to their Playing XI from the final match of the triangular series in East London. Vice-captain Smriti Mandhana and all-rounders Devika Vaidya and Sneh Rana have been replaced by batter Shafali Verma, wicket-keeper batter Richa Ghosh and spinner Radha Yadav.

Mandhana, India’s highest T20I run-scorer against Pakistan among active cricketers, not part of this marquee contest is a colossal blow for the team. The 26-year old player is yet to recover from a finger injury but is likely to take part in the next match against West Indies Women at the same venue on Wednesday.

“She [Smriti Mandhana] will be fine [for the second match] but we have added an extra batter [Harleen Deol] for today,” Kaur said.

About the author

Dixit Bhargav

Born and brought up in Pathankot, Dixit Bhargav is an engineering and sports management graduate who works as a Cricket Editor at The SportsRush. Having written more than 10,000 articles across more than five years at TSR, his first cricketing memory dates back to 2002 when former India captain Sourav Ganguly had waved his jersey at the historic Lord’s balcony. What followed for an 8-year-old was an instant adulation for both Ganguly and the sport. The optimist in him is waiting for the day when Punjab Kings will win their maiden Indian Premier League title. When not watching cricket, he is mostly found in a cinema hall watching a Punjabi movie.

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