15-year-old Shafali Verma gets maiden call-up for India women's T20I squad for series against South Africa

New Delhi: Veteran Mithali Raj’s retirement from the T20 format on Thursday paved the way for the induction of youngsters such as 15-year-old rookie Shafali Verma in the Indian women’s cricket team for the upcoming home T20 Internationals against South Africa. Shafali was picked following her good performance in the Women’s T20 Challenge earlier and at the age-group level this year. The diminutive Haryana-girl played under Mithali for Team Velocity in the Women’s T20 Challenge which was held during the IPL earlier this year. [caption id=“attachment_7292501” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Shafali Verma. Sportzpics[/caption] Mithali, though, will continue to lead the team in the three-match ODI series, which will follow the five T20 Internationals, where Harmanpreet Kaur will captain. Smriti Mandhana will be Harmanpreet’s deputy in the T20s. Mithali decided to quit T20 Internationals after a career spanning 89 matches in which she scored 2364 runs and 17 half-centuries. She led India in 32 T20Is. The selection committee meeting held at the BCCI headquarters on Thursday was attended by Mithali while T20I captain Harmanpreet and coach WV Raman connected via teleconference. The Indian team will conduct a preparatory camp at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru from September 12. The ODI series begins in Surat on 24 September. Indian Women’s ODI squad: Mithali Raj (Captain), Jemimah Rodrigues, Harmanpreet Kaur (vice-captain), Punam Raut, Smriti Mandhana, Deepti Sharma, Taniya Bhatia (wicket-keeper), Jhulan Goswami, Shikha Pandey, Mansi Joshi, Ekta Bisht, Poonam Yadav, D Hemalatha, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Priya Punia. Indian Women’s squad for first 3 T20Is: Harmanpreet Kaur (Captain), Smriti Mandhana (vice-captain), Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Taniya Bhatia (wicket-keeper), Poonam Yadav, Shikha Pandey, Arundhati Reddy, Pooja Vastrakar, Radha Yadav, Veda Krishnamurthy, Harleen Deol, Anuja Patil, Shafali Verma, Mansi Joshi.