Batter Shweta Sehrawat will lead India Under-19 women against New Zealand Under-19 women in a series of five T20s in Mumbai from November 27 to December 6. The series is part of India's build-up towards the inaugural women's Under-19 World Cup (T20 format) to be played in South Africa in January 2023.
Sehrawat, a top-order batter, led one of the four sides at the Under-19 T20 Challenger Trophy that finished earlier this month.
Sehrawat was the top run-getter in the tournament, making 163 runs in four innings at a strike rate of 111.64, including a highest of 51. After that, Sehrawat also topped the run charts and strike rates, scoring 164 runs at 151.85, at the Under-19 quadrangular series, which featured West Indies, Sri Lanka, and two teams from India.
Batter Soumya Tiwari has been named vice-captain of the 15-member squad. She made 107 runs in four innings at the Challenger Trophy, the fourth-best in the competition but at a strike rate of 79.25. Also part of the squad is Shikha Shalot, a middle-order batter, whose unbeaten 69 off 49 was the highest individual score of the competition.
In fact, the top four run-getters in the competition all found a place in the squad - Sehrawat, G Trisha, Shalot and Tiwary.
Hrishita Basu and Nandini Kashyap have been named wicketkeepers. Among batters to have faced at least 50 balls in the Challenger Trophy, Basu's strike rate of 132.25 was the best.
The bowling attack consists of three of the top four wicket-takers - Sonam Yadav, Archana Devi and Titas Sadhu. Sonam topped the charts, picking up seven wickets in four games at an economy of 3.81. Archana, second on the list, ended with six scalps. Sadhu has represented the senior Bengal Women's team; in the latest Women's T20 Trophy, she picked up two wickets in four matches at an economy of 4.07.
All matches in the series will be played at the Bandra Kurla Complex in Mumbai. Before the India series, New Zealand will play West Indies in two T20 fixtures at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai, on November 22 and November 24.
Squad: Shweta Sehrawat (capt), Soumya Tiwari (vice-capt), Shikha Shalot, Trisha G, Sonia Mehdiya, Hurley Gala, Hrishita Basu (wk), Nandini Kashyap (wk), Sonam Yadav, Mannat Kashyap, Archana Devi, Parshavi Chopra, Titas Sadhu, Falak Naz, Shabnam MD