India batter Yastika Bhatia on Wednesday (February 9) said that Smriti Mandhana is still in managed isolation as per the New Zealand government guidelines and that is the reason she did not play in the one-off T20I against the White Ferns.
Bhatia also confirmed that Meghna Singh and Renuka Singh are also in managed isolation. At this moment, it is hard to say whether these three will be available for selection for the first ODI of the five-match series on Saturday. "Smriti Mandhana, Meghna Singh, and Renuka Singh are in compulsory MIQ (managed isolation and quarantine) as per New Zealand government guidelines. That is all we can say at the moment," said Yastika during a virtual press conference.
855 runs in 22 matches
Five half-centuries
Maiden Test centuryIndia's Smriti Mandhana, the winner of the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy for ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year, had a 2021 to remember! pic.twitter.com/JWht0snwCU
— ICC (@ICC) January 29, 2022
Suzie Bates and Sophie Devine's good knocks with the bat were followed by Jess Kerr's two-wicket haul as New Zealand defeated India by 18 runs in the one-off T20I at the John Davies Oval on Wednesday. Earlier, Bates and Devine played knocks of 36 and 31 to help New Zealand post 155/5 in the allotted twenty overs. For India, Deepti Sharma returned with two wickets.
"There is a lot of wind over here, we have to assess wind conditions and then play our shots accordingly. Timing the ball is crucial over here. This tour is important for me, we are getting a series here, and doing well for us is important," said Yastika.India and New Zealand will now lock horns in five-match ODI series, beginning Saturday.
