Niki Prasad to lead India’s 15-member squad for ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup
India has announced a strong 15-member squad for the ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup, scheduled to take place in Malaysia from January 18 to February 2, 2025.
Niki Prasad, who recently captained India to victory at the inaugural ACC U19 Women’s Asia Cup in Kuala Lumpur, will lead the side. The squad retains 14 players from the Asia Cup-winning team, with Sanika Chalka appointed as the vice captain. The only change sees fast bowler Vaishnavi S replacing Nandhana S, who has been named on the standby list alongside Ira J and Anadi T.
India, the defending champions, have been placed in Group A alongside hosts Malaysia, the West Indies, and Sri Lanka. They will kick off their campaign against the West Indies on January 19 at the Bayuemas Oval in Kuala Lumpur.
The 16-team competition features four groups of four teams each. The top three teams from each group will advance to the Super Six stage, where they will carry forward points, wins, and Net Run Rate (NRR) from their matches against fellow qualifiers.
The Super Six stage will further split the teams into two groups of six:
Group 1: Top three teams from Groups A and D
Group 2: Top three teams from Groups B and C
Each team will play two matches against teams that qualify from the opposite group. The top two teams from each Super Six group will advance to the semifinals, set for January 31, with the final scheduled on February 2.
India is joined by traditional powerhouses Australia, England, South Africa, and New Zealand, alongside Bangladesh, Ireland, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, all of whom qualified based on their participation in the 2023 edition. Malaysia earned automatic qualification as hosts, while Nepal, Nigeria, Samoa, Scotland, and the United States secured their spots through regional tournaments.
India’s Group Stage Fixtures
January 19: India vs. West Indies
January 22: India vs. Sri Lanka
January 25: India vs. Malaysia
As the reigning champions and with a blend of talent and experience, India will aim to defend their title and further cement their dominance in U19 women’s cricket.
India U19 Squad: Niki Prasad (captain), Sanika Chalke (vice-captain), G Trisha, Kamalini G (wicketkeeper), Bhavika Ahire (wicketkeeper), Ishwari Awasare, Mithila Vinod, Joshitha VJ, Sonam Yadav, Parunika Sisodiya, Kesari Drithi, Aayushi Shukla, Anandita Kishor, MD Shabnam, Vaishnavi S
India standby players: Nandhana S, Ira J, Anadi T