Indian women's contingent reaches UAE for T20 Challenge

Dubai: The top 30 women cricketers from India arrived here on Thursday to take part in the Women's T20 Challenge, which is also popularly known as ''mini WIPL'' and scheduled to be held in Sharjah from November 4-9.

Seasoned Indian players such as T20 skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, batswomen Smriti Mandhana and Jemimah Rodrigues had a nine-day quarantine in Mumbai where they had undergone multiple RT-PCR tests.

Just like their male counterparts, the women will also now undergo six-day isolation before entering the ''bio-bubble''.

They will be tested on the first, third and fifth day before being allowed in the bio-secure environment created for them.

"Let''s hear it for our girls! Smiling face with sunglasses Sparkles. Hello UAE. The Supernovas, Trailblazers, Velocity have arrived. Thumbs up. CANNOT WAIT for WomensT20Challenge," IPL tweeted from its official handle.

The three teams will be led by Mithali Raj, Mandhana and Harmanpret.

The tournament will mark the beginning of the Indian women''s cricket season with foreign stars like Deandra Dottin, Sophie Ecclestone, Danielle Wyatt, Chamari Atapattu also taking part in it.

There are talks that the women''s team might travel to Sri Lanka for its first international series since the COVID-19 induced break. PTI KHS KHS AH AH