Follow UsWith a bit of momentum on their side, hosts Bangladesh lock horns with India in the three-match One-Day International (ODI) series, with all matches to be played at the Shere Bangla Stadium, Mirpur. If the T20 Internationals (T20I) were anything to go by, we can expect another slow wicket with plenty of spin, making it yet another low-scoring rubber. While a consolation win in the T20I series might just be a minor blip for the Harmanpreet Kaur-led side, they will know they cannot afford to take Bangladesh lightly, especially in their own backyard.
What’s at stake?
While the Men’s ODI Super League has been scrapped after just one year, a similar tournament has been in play for the women’s team since 2014. On similar lines, this series between Bangladesh and India will be part of the ICC Women’s Championship, which is one of the pathways for automatic qualification for the 2025 ODI World Cup. The top five teams, including hosts India will secure an automatic qualification for the upcoming World Cup.
Initially, the league was for the top-eight ranked sides, but expanded to 10 for the ongoing cycle, paving the way for Bangladesh and Ireland to be part of it. India have started off well and sit at the top of the table, having won all their six matches – three against Sri Lanka and three against England, all coming last year.
Out of the six games Bangladesh have played this cycle, four have been washed out, and they have lost the other two. As a result, they have four points, three more than last-ranked Ireland.
Selection calls
India
While there were plenty of interesting calls in the T20I squad, familiar faces return to the 50-over format. One of them is Sneh Rana who, in the last couple of years or so, has been in and out of the side. Rana has not featured in the ODI side since September last year and was axed from the T20I side against Bangladesh despite featuring in the T20 World Cup earlier this year.
Rana’s inclusion certainly adds a bit of experience to the spin department that already consists of Deepti Sharma, newbies like B Anusha and Rashi Khanojiya, along with the leg-spin option of Devika Vaidya.
Delhi batter Priya Punia and left-arm seamer Monica Patel could be in line to play their first ODI for India since the home series against South Africa in 2021 in Lucknow. Monica, a left-arm seamer, is indeed an interesting pick given that India already have Anjali Sarvani, who possesses a similar skillset, up their ranks.
Punia, on the other hand, has earned a recall after her stellar show in the Inter Zone One-Day Competition, where she finished as the second-highest run-getter hitting 250 runs at 62.50 to help North Zone to the title.
While the batting core more or less remains the same, with the likes of Shafali Verma, Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana, and Jemimah Rodrigues, India will hope that a few brave calls they have made in the bowling department pass with flying colours.
Bangladesh
Mysteriously, fast bowler Jahanara Alam continues to miss out, despite being one of Bangladesh's bowlers ever. She is the third-highest wicket-taker for her team in this format, having picked up 48 wickets at 30.39 from 52 matches. In her absence, Lata Mondal and Ritu Moni will likely be given a go, but the spinners will take centre stage, and Bangladesh have enough depth in that aspect.
Skipper Nigar Sultana has enough options to go to in her pursuit to create history. Remember, Bangladesh may have won three T20Is against India, but they have been winless in the five ODIs against them.
With a sluggish pitch in Mirpur once again, this could be a terrific chance for Bangladesh to script history.
How will the conditions be?
Rain is expected to play a part in the entire series. While that is disappointing for both teams, the silver lining is that there could be something for the pacers right after the covers are removed. The moisture on the pitch accumulated due to it being covered for a considerable amount of time could work in their favour.
The last women’s ODI played here was way back in 2012, which produced extremely low scores, including two double-digit targets, with spinners playing a key role. India did not bowl a single over of pace in the third T20I, and for the upcoming series, both teams will once again let their spin department do the bulk of the work. Around 150-160 might just prove to be a match-winning total here.
Squads
Bangladesh: Nigar Sultana (c & wk), Nahida Akter (vc), Murshida Khatun, Fargana Hoque, Sobhana Mostary, Shorna Akter, Ritu Moni, Lata Mondal, Disha Biswas, Marufa Akter, Sharmin Akhter, Sanjida Akter, Rabeya Khan, Sultana Khatun, Salma Khatun, Fahima Khatun, Shamima Sultana
India: Harmanpreet Kaur (c), Smriti Mandhana (vc), Deepti Sharma, Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Yastika Bhatia (wk), Harleen Deol, Devika Vaidya, Uma Chetry (wk), Amanjot Kaur, Priya Punia, Pooja Vastrakar, Meghna Singh, Anjali Sarvani, Monica Patel, Rashi Kanojiya, Anusha Bareddy, Sneh Rana.