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India have picked the core of their under-19 team that won the 2023 U-19 Women's World Cup in the India A squad for the Emerging Women's Asia Cup in Hong Kong from June 12-21. Shweta Sehrawat, who played a starring role in India's title triumph in South Africa, was named captain of the A team, which includes her U-19 team-mates Soumya Tiwari, G Trisha, Titas Sadhu, Parshavi Chopra and Mannat Kashyap. The BCCI have also ensured continuity by appointing former allrounder Nooshin Al Khadeer as head coach. Khadeer had headed the backroom staff during the Under-19 World Cup campaign in January, and was assistant coach of Gujarat Giants at the inaugural Women's Premier League in March. Sehrawat topped the run charts at the World Cup, making 297 runs in seven innings, while 17-year-old Chopra, who was among the youngest players in the WPL, finished as the second highest wicket-taker with 11 wickets in six innings at an average of 7.00. The selectors also rewarded Shreyanka Patil and Kanika Ahuja, both 20 years old, for their performances in the WPL. The duo was among the bright spots for Royal Challengers Bangalore, who finished fourth in the five-team league. Patil impressed with her power in the lower order and her offspin in the death overs, while Ahuja displayed her inventive strokeplay and big-hitting ability. Sadhu, rated highly by Jhulan Goswami, will spearhead the pace attack along with Kashyap and Chandigarh's Kashvee Gautam, who took 10 wickets in an innings, with a hat-trick, against Arunachal Pradesh in the Women's Under-19 One Day Trophy in 2020. India A are in Group A in the Emerging Women's Asia Cup and will open their campaign against hosts Hong Kong on June 13, before taking on Thailand A and Pakistan A on June 15 and June 17 respectively. Bangladesh A, Sri Lanka A, Malaysia and UAE make up Group B. The top two teams from each pool will qualify for the semi-finals. India A squad: Shweta Sehrawat (capt), Soumya Tiwari (vc), Trisha Gongadi, Muskan Malik, Shreyanka Patil, Kanika Ahuja, Uma Chetry (wk), Mamatha Madiwala (wk), Titas Sadhu, Yashasri S, Kashvee Gautam, Parshavi Chopra, Mannat Kashyap, B Anusha.
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