Smriti Mandhana to Lead India in Asian Games 2023

It is now official that Smriti Mandhana, the current vice-captain of the Indian women’s team, will be taking the helm of the squad for the upcoming Asian Games 2023 quarter-finals and semi-finals. This comes as a result of the International Cricket Council (ICC) imposing a ban on Harmanpreet Kaur due to her inappropriate behavior in the third ODI against Bangladesh. Kaur was seen to have smashed the stumps and later made an offensive comment towards the match officials.

India Qualifies for Asian Games 2023

India has secured a direct qualification for the Continental Games due to their higher ranking in ICC Women’s T20I Rankings. With Kaur missing out, Mandhana now has a huge task to take India to the finals of the Asian Games 2023 event, scheduled to take place from September 19 to October 7 in Hangzhou.

Kaur Fined 50% of Match Fees

Kaur has been fined 50 percent of her match fees for the Level 2 offense. The right-hand batter has been a key player for the Indian team and her absence could prove to be a major setback for the team.

Team India to Play 3 ODIs, 5 Tests & 8 T20s

Team India will next be seen in action during the upcoming series against Australia, Afghanistan and England. The team will be playing three ODIs, five Tests and eight T20s in the series.

Conclusion

With the ICC issuing a ban on Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana has been handed the responsibility of leading India in the upcoming Asian Games 2023 quarter-finals and semi-finals. With Kaur missing out, the team will be looking to Mandhana to take them to the finals of the event. India will also be playing a series of matches against Australia, Afghanistan and England in the upcoming months.