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Having partaken in 3 First-class matches, 22 limited-overs games, and 22 Women’s T20 matches, Tejal’s call-up to the national side was well overdue
Tejal Hasabnis in action for India Women (X)
Debutantes Saima Thakor and Tejal Hasabnis have been handed their international debuts as India’s stand-in captain Smriti Mandhana won the toss and elected to bat first against New Zealand in the ODI series opener today.
Mandhana was appointed the stand-in captain due to Harmanpreet Kaur being ruled out of the fixture due to a niggle.
Saima, the pacer from Mumbai, will handle fast-bowling duties alongside Arundhati Reddy and Renuka Singh Thakur, while Deepti Sharma, Dayalan Hemalatha, Radha Yadav and Tejal will handle spin-bowling duties.
The series marks the start of preparations for both teams ahead of 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup, to be held in India next year.
Who is Tejal Hasabnis?
Born in August 16, 1997, Tejal has proven her worth consistently for Marashtra and Wet Zone as a middle-order batter. Having partaken in 3 First-class matches, 22 limited-overs games, and 22 Women’s T20 matches, Tejal’s call-up to the national side was well overdue, as she dazzled with her consistent performances, particularly during the recent India A Women’s tour of Australia in August 2024.
Having scored 166 runs in just 3 matches at an impressive average of 55.33 and a strike rate of 75.79, Tejal took it to the Aussies with her calm and cool batting intertwined with just the tinge of aggression that’s needed to score.
Now, the youngster will be touted to produce the same as India Women take on New Zealand at Ahmedabad today.
Playing XIs
India: Smriti Mandhana (captain), Shafali Verma, Yastika Bhatia (wk), Dayalan Hemalatha, Jemimah Rodrigues, Tejal Hasabnis, Deepti Sharma, Radha Yadav, Arundhati Reddy, Saima Thakor, Renuka Singh Thakur
New Zealand: Suzie Bates, Georgia Plimmer, Amelia Kerr, Sophie Devine (captain), Brooke Halliday, Maddy Green, Lauren Down, Izabelle Gaze (wicketkeeper), Jess Kerr, Molly Penfold, Eden Carson.
(with agency inputs)
