CHENNAI: All-rounder Pooja Vastrakar is all set to replace Anjali Sarvani, who's recovering from an injury, in the India women's squad for the upcoming Asian Games, Hangzhou.
The latest list of athletes travelling to China as a part of the Indian contingent was released by the sports ministry on Thursday. According to the list, Vastrakar, who was in the reserves, has been drafted in place of Anjali for the multisport event.
It is learnt that Anjali, who is still a part of the ongoing camp at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru, has not fully recovered from an injury and as a result will miss out on the Asian Games.
Earlier, there were doubts as to why Vastrakar, who has been an integral part of the Indian team since the ODI World Cup in 2022, was not originally included in the squad.
Her addition now could prove handy for the team considering the Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur will not be able to play the first two games due to a two-game suspension she received from the ICC for her on-field behaviour during the Bangladesh tour.
The women's team camp at the NCA is set to go on till Saturday while the cricket event at the Asian Games is beginning on September 19.
India is scheduled to play directly in the quarterfinal, like the other top-four ranked sides, on September 21 against a team that is yet to be confirmed.
The final of the women's event will be played on September 25.
Indonesia, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Mongolia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are the other competing teams in the women's cricket event.
Meanwhile, the men's event will begin on September 27 and go on till October 7.
It will be the first time the Indian cricket team, men or women, will take part in the Asian Games.