CoA likely to meet Harmanpreet Kaur, Mithali Raj; players asked to maintain 'decorum'

Recent reports suggest that the Committee of Administrators could possibly summon Indian women's team skipper Harmanpreet Kaur and Mithali Raj, following the senior most player's controversial omission for the World T20 semi-final against England.

The Indian women cricket team's unbeaten run at the World T20 came to an end after they were handed a crushing eight-wicket defeat by England in their semi-final match at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium on Friday, November 23.

Many had expected the Women In Blue to go all the way given their extraordinary form. However, they failed to overcome the nerves of the previous encounter between the two sides which was the final of the 2017 Women's Cricket World Cup, and in the process suffered a humiliating defeat.

According to a top BCCI official, Mithali might put across her viewpoint in writing to GM (Cricket Operations) Saba Karim, who is also in charge of women's cricket.

"It is understood that a meeting will be held soon here and CoA is likely to speak separately to Harmanpreet, Mithali, Ramesh (coach Ramesh Powar), manager Trupti Bhattacharya and tour selector Sudha Shah to understand what led to Mithali's omission," a senior BCCI official said on conditions of anonymity.

READ: 'Manipulative, Lying, Undeserving Captain': Mithali Raj's Manager Slams Harmanpreet Kaur

CoA chief Vinod Rai was unhappy that players' agents are making unsavoury comments about team selection. Mithali's manager lashed out at skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, calling her a "manipulative, lying, immature, undeserving captain" and further went on to say that the women's team believed in "politics not sport".

"The comments made by people who appear to be associated with the Indian women's team have been viewed with concern. Such statements made in the media are totally uncalled for," Rai told PTI on Sunday.

"The BCCI has a hierarchy of officials specifically dedicated to the redressal of genuine grievances of players," said Rai. 

"This is the appropriate mechanism that should be utilised. Issues that have been the cause for the performance of the Indian women's team will be appropriately addressed," Rai said.

However, he urged people associated with the women's team to maintain restraint and not to voice their opinions in public.

"All players, the team management and persons associated with them must maintain decorum and follow the proper protocol," Rai said.

It is learnt that issues like alleged bias in team selection will be looked into, considering that strained relations between the ODI and T20 captain is an open secret in the Indian cricket fraternity.

(PTI inputs)