Indian women team players celebrates the wicket of West Indies player during the 2nd ODI between India and West Indies at Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara on Tuesday December 24, 2024. File
| Photo Credit: VIJAY SONEJI

Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and pacer Renuka Singh Thakur have been rested for India women’s three-match home ODI series against Ireland, the BCCI announced on Monday (January 6, 2025).

Opener Smriti Mandhana will lead the side in the series, beginning on January 10 at Rajkot, in the absence of Harmanpreet.

Harmanpreet had suffered a knee injury during the home series against the West Indies last month, forcing her to sit out of the last two T20Is before returning to play three ODIs.

Before that, the 35-year-old had sustained a neck injury during the match against Pakistan in the Women’s T20 World Cup in Dubai in October last year.

Lead pacer Renuka was the player of the series in the one-dayers against the West Indies after taking 10 wickets from three matches.

In the past, a stress fracture on the back had troubled her, so the move to rest her for the series against Ireland could be to ease her workload.

India’s squad for the three-match ODI series against Ireland: Smriti Mandhana (C), Deepti Sharma (VC), Pratika Rawal, Harleen Deol, Jemimah Rodrigues, Uma Chetry (wk), Richa Ghosh (wk), Tejal Hasabnis, Raghvi Bist, Minnu Mani, Priya Mishra, Tanuja Kanwer, Titas Sadhu, Saima Thakor, Sayali Satghare.

Schedule (All matches in Rajkot, starts at 11 AM) 1st ODI: January 10: 2nd ODI: January 12 3rd ODI: January 15.

Megan Schutt of Australia celebrates a wicket during game one of the Women’s One Day International Series between Australia and India at Allan Border Field on December 05, 2024, in Brisbane, Australia.
| Photo Credit: Getty Images

Australia survived a stellar spell from India pacer Arundhati Reddy to post a challenging 298 for six in the third and final Women’s ODI on Wednesday, December 11, 2024.

Annabel Sutherland (110 off 95) led Australia’s recovery after Reddy struck four times in quick succession for career-best figures in limited-overs cricket.

Having already lost the series, India opted to bowl at the iconic WACA ground but did not get the required breakthroughs in the first powerplay with Phoebe Litchfield (25 off 33) and Georgia Voll (26 off 30) going strong.

However, Reddy, playing only her fifth ODI, changed the course of the game in one over by removing the openers in a space of four balls. Unlike Renuka Thakur and Saima Thakor, Reddy got the ball to swing back from a fuller length and that is what led to the fall of last match’s centurion Voll, who saw her stumps disturbed.

Left-handed Litchfield was caught behind chasing an away swinger and all the momentum gained by Australia was suddenly lost.

Next to depart was star all-rounder Elysse Perry who had no answer to a beauty from Reddy that held its line to hit the top of off-stump. When Beth Mooney departed, Australia were reduced to 78 for four from 58 for no loss.

Sutherland and Ashleigh Gardner (50 off 64) then showed the enviable depth of the Australian batting by sharing a 96-run stand for the fifth wicket. Sutherland was the aggressor in the partnership and especially pounded the spinners, smashing two fours and a six off Deepti Sharma in the 40th over.

India’s catching left a lot to be desired as they grassed three tough chances.

Australia skipper Tahlia McGrath (56 not out off 50) joined Sutherland in the 35th over and the duo pushed the score towards 300. Sutherland got to her hundred by dispatching Deepti for a six over mid-wicket in the final over of the innings.