New Additions to India's T20 World Cup Squad Announced

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced the inclusion of wicketkeeper-batter Yastika Bhatia and spin-bowling allrounder Shreyanka Patil in India's T20 World Cup squad on Tuesday, August 27. However, their participation in the 15-member squad is tentative, relying on their physical health.

Patil had faced a fracture in a finger of her left hand during India's Asia Cup 2024 opener against Pakistan in July. Despite the injury, she managed to bowl 3.2 overs in the match, contributing significantly with 2 for 14.

Bhatia's inclusion is also pending her recovery from a knee injury for which she has been undergoing rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru. She had sustained a hamstring injury during India's Bangladesh tour in April of the same year, participating in only a single game as an opener and scoring 36 runs.

The rest of the squad remains largely unaltered with the selectors maintaining their confidence in the majority of the team that played in the Women's Asia Cup final.

Tanuja Kanwar, the left-arm spinner who took Patil's spot in the Asia Cup team, and backup 'keeper Uma Chetry will not be in the main team, but have been named travelling reserves, along with Saima Thakor. Raghvi Bist and Priya Mishra, who are both currently on a multi-format tour of Australia with the India A side, have been listed as non-travelling reserves.

India's campaign kick-off match will be against New Zealand on October 4 in Dubai. The squad consists of key players such as Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma, along with the new additions Bhatia and Patil and other crucial players.