Three Odia women cricketers find a berth in India-A team

Bhubaneswar: Odia women cricketers Priyanka Priyadarshini Sahu, Swagatika Rath and Sukanya Parida have been selected to play for India-A in the upcoming limited over series against Bangladesh-A to be played in Karnataka.

Priyanka and Sukanya will be playing the one-dayers while Swagatika will be a part of the T-20 squad.

Right-arm off-spinner Priyanka has been playing for Odisha for many years now and is a frontline bowler of the team. She also found place in the special camp organised for women cricketers at National Cricket Academy along with Odisha wicket-keeper Kadambini Mahakud.

"Priyanka is a good bowler, she has been playing for last 8-9 years in the senior team and I have seen her from her intial days. Her bowling style is effective for limited overs cricket," says cricket coach Khirod Behera.

Two other Odias in the team are Swagatika and Sukanya, who play domestic cricket for Railways and Bengal respectively. Both of them have represented Team India before in international matches.

Medium-pacer Sukanya played her only One Day International against West Indies in 2016 while batswoman Swagatika has played three ODIs and a couple of T20Is for the Indian women team. Swagatika was a part of the Odisha team before and after her job in the Indian Railways she is representing the Railways team.

The India-A team will be led by Anuja Patil both in one-dayers and T20 matches. The three one-dayers will be played at Hubli from 2nd December while the T20 series will begin from December 12 at Belgaum.