Women's IPL experience will help team against South Africa: Taniya Bhatia

CHANDIGARH: As the Indian women's team prepares to play their first match under lights in the five-match T20I series against South Africa in Surat, wicketkeeper-batswoman Taniya Bhatia said the experience of playing in the women's IPL will keep them in good stead.
The Indian women's team will begin the limited over series against the Protea women with the five T20Is in Surat from September 24, followed by three One-day Internationals at Vadodara from October 9.While the T20Is will be played under lights, the ODIs will be day affairs.
Chandigarh girl Taniya, the lone wicketkeeper in both the squads, acknowledged that they are excited to play under lights.
"Yes as it's been a couple of months since we played international cricket, the excitement level is high. Higher also because we'll get to play under lights this time," Taniya told TOI.
"We had a few IPL games under lights, so I have a fair idea. It is exciting time to be playing women's cricket in India, the fans have started recognizing the cricketers," the 21-year-old added.
On Thursday, the selectors met at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai to pick the squads, which witnessed the inclusion of a couple of new faces especially in the shortest format. Veteran Mithali Raj's retirement from the T20 format paved the way for the induction of youngsters such as 15-year-old rookie Shafali Verma.
"It's great to see her in the squad…she is an amazing talent. I'm sure the fans had glimpses of her during the women's IPL in Jaipur. She is a great prospect for the future of Indian women's cricket," Taniya said.
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.
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.
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.