Smriti Mandhana: Shafali Verma Still in the Mix Ahead of Ireland ODIs

India captain Smriti Mandhana on Thursday reassured that opener Shafali Verma remains part of the team’s plans, despite being dropped from the squad for the upcoming 3-match ODI series against Ireland. Verma was also absent during last December’s ODI series against Australia.

“Harman is rested, and that was communicated clearly. Shafali has not been part of the squad for the last two or three one-day series. However, Pratika (Rawal) has done well in her place. But Shafali has scored a lot of runs in domestic cricket, so she’s definitely in the scheme of things. I’m happy she returned and made those runs,” Mandhana said.

She also emphasized the importance of focusing on the strengths of the team, saying, “As a team, we don’t need to focus on what’s missing. We want to maintain a positive mindset and acknowledge that we have a balanced squad. The players coming in are excellent, and we will focus on what we have.”

Shafali, the leading run-scorer in the senior women’s one-day trophy, is in excellent form. In seven innings, she scored 527 runs at an average of 75.28 and a strike rate of 152.31. Her standout performance was a 197 off 115 balls in the quarterfinals for Haryana, though the team was defeated by Bengal in a close match.

Meanwhile, regular captain Harmanpreet Kaur and seamer Renuka Singh Thakur have been rested for the Ireland series. Harmanpreet, recovering from a knee injury sustained during last month’s series against the West Indies, had to miss the final two T20Is before returning for the ODIs.