Indian Cricket Squad For Asian Games 2023: Pooja Vastrakar Named As Replacement For Anjali Sarvani In Women's Team

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Board of Control for Cricket in Indian (BCCI) on Saturday (September 16) announced that medium pacer Pooja Vastrakar will replace injured Anjali Sarvani in the Indian women's squad for Asian Games 2023, which begins on Tuesday (September 19).

Vastrakar was already part of the standby list for the tournament and has been moved to the main squad to take the place of left-arm pacer Sarvani, who has been ruled out of the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou due to a knee injury as per the BCCI statement.

"The Women's Selection Committee named Pooja Vastrakar, who was earlier a part of the standby list of players, as replacement for Anjali Sarvani at the 19th Asian Games Hangzhou 2022," the BCCI statement read.

"Sarvani, a left-arm pacer, suffered a knee injury and has been ruled out of the event, which will be held from 19th September to 8th October 2023 at Zhejiang University of Technology Pingfeng Cricket Field. The women's cricket competition will take place from 19th-28th September 2023 in a T20 format."

Vastrakar was also part of the team for the Commonwealth Games 2022, but was forced to join the camp late after she had contracted COVID-19 that saw her miss the first two matches in Birmingham. Vastrakar played the next three matches and went wicketless.

The 23-year-old, who missed the T20 World Cup 2023 earlier this year, returned to the national set up for the India's tour of Bangladesh in July, when she played 3 T20Is and 1 ODI, ending with just 1 wicket. She will now be the second pace bowling option in the squad alongside youngster Titas Sadhu.

The women's competition at the Asian Games 2023, which will be played in T20 format, is set to take place from September 19 to September 25 with the Indian beginning their campaign on September 21 in the quarterfinals.

Indian Women's cricket squad for Asian Games 2023

Harmanpreet Kaur (captain), Smriti Mandhana (vice captain), Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh (wicketkeeper), Amanjot Kaur, Devika Vaidya, Titas Sadhu, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Minnu Mani, Kanika Ahuja, Uma Chetry (wicketkeeper), Anusha Bareddy, Pooja Vastrakar. Standby list of players: Harleen Deol, Kashvee Gautam, Sneh Rana, Saika Ishaque.