Punam Raut Expressed Disappointment After 2022 Women ODI World Cup Axe

Jan 7, 2022 at 3:29 PM

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Punam Raut Expressed Disappointment After 2022 Women ODI World Cup Axe

Punam Raut has expressed her disappointment after snubbing from the upcoming 2022 ICC ODI World Cup squad. The All-India Women’s Selection Committee on Thursday announced a 15-member Indian women’s squad announced for the ICC ODI World Cup.

The mega cricketing event will be held in New Zealand from March 4 to April 3. Punam Raut, Jemimah Rodrigues, and Shikha Pandey were the few notable absentees from the squad.

Punam Raut: 'I am extremely disappointed at not being a part of the World Cup squad' Getty Images
Punam Raut: ‘I am extremely disappointed at not being a part of the World Cup squad’ Getty Images

Punam Raut Expressed Her Disappointment After Being Axed From Women’s 2022 ODI World Cup Squad

Punam Raut took to social media Twitter and posted an emotional note after the exclusion where she mentioned her batting record from last year.

“Having been considered amongst the experienced batsmen and a consistent run-scorer for India, I’m extremely disappointed at not being a part of the World Cup squad. In 2021, I averaged 73.75, scoring 295 runs, which included a hundred and two half-centuries in the six ODI games that I played.

“It is very disheartening to be continuously left out even after performing. Having said that, I would like to extend my best wishes to all the players who will be representing India,” Punam Raut wrote on Twitter.

The 32-year-old Punam Raut was India’s highest run-scorer during the 5-match ODI series against South Africa at home last year scoring 263 runs in 5 innings at an average of 87.67.

Punam Raut, 32, was part of the ODI squads for the England and Australia tours last year and also featured in the previous edition of the World Cup when India finished runners-up. In the six ODIs that she played in 2021, Punam Raut accumulated 295 runs, including a hundred, at an average of 73.75.

With 2299 runs from 73 ODIs at an average of 34.83, the Mumbai cricketer has all the reasons to feel disappointed. In 2021, she scored 295 runs and a century, but most possibly her career strike of 58.26 led to her exclusion.

Shikha Pandey Image Source : GETTY IMAGES
Shikha Pandey Image Source: GETTY IMAGES

However, Jemimah Rodrigues and all-rounder Shikha Pandey have been ignored from the side due to a lack of form. Jemimah Rodrigues failed to hit the double-figure mark during the last year in all the international assignments she was a part of. Shikha Pandey has been similarly off colour.

Neetu David Has No Idea Whether The Selectors Will Adress The Media

Speaking on the team selection, lead selector Neetu David maintained the moratorium, saying they can’t speak anything on the issue.

“Right now we are not allowed to speak,” David told UNI after being asked about the controversial selection. It must be noted that BCCI usually calls for press conference for justifying team selections in multi nation ICC tournaments.

India women will be travelling to New Zealand for the World Cup without the talented Jemimah Rodrigues or veteran Shikha Pandey. Image: Twitter/@BCCIWomen
India women will be travelling to New Zealand for the World Cup without the talented Jemimah Rodrigues or veteran Shikha Pandey. Image: Twitter/@BCCIWomen

On being asked about whether the selectors will address the media on the selection, David said: “Right now, I have no idea.”

The squad will also feature in the 5-match ODI series against New Zealand starting from 11th February 2022. After the game against Pakistan in the Women’s World Cup on 6th March, India will square off against New Zealand (March 10), West Indies (March 12), England (March 16), Australia (March 19), Bangladesh (March 22), and South Africa (March 27) in the group stage.

In their first assignment, the selection panel — which also includes Arati Vaidya, Renu Margrate, V Kalpana, and Mithu Mukherjee — surprised one and all by overlooking Shafali Verma for the ODIs against South Africa at home in March last year. This after the teenager set the global stage alight during the 2020 T20 World Cup.

The selection panel’s latest act — India’s squad for the 2022 ODI World Cup in New Zealand — has once again led to intense debate over some of the surprising omissions as Mithali Raj-led Indian women aim to clinch their first 50-over ICC world title.

Team India for World Cup: Mithali Raj (Captain), Harmanpreet Kaur (vice-captain), Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Yastika Bhatia, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh (wicket-keeper), Sneh Rana, Jhulan Goswami, Pooja Vastrakar, Meghna Singh, Renuka Singh Thakur, Taniya Bhatia (wicket-keeper), Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Poonam Yadav.

Standby players: Sabbhineni Meghana, Ekta Bisht, Simran Dil Bahadur.

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