Hangzhou [China], September 20 (ANI): The Indian women's cricket team will be playing at the Asian Games for the first time in China's Hangzhou and is gearing up for the continental contest.

Initially, Harmanpreet was meant to lead Team India. However, she will be absent from two games after the International Cricket Council (ICC) suspended her for her outburst during an ODI against Bangladesh. Smriti Mandhana will be leading the women's side in Harmanpreet's absence.

India will start their camping against Malaysia at the Zhejiang University of Technology Pingfeng Cricket Field in Hangzhou on Thursday.

Over the past ten years, interest in women's cricket has increased and the T20 format has accentuated this.

Women's T20 has been included in multi-sport events like the Asian Games and Commonwealth Games.

The Asian Games 2022 in Hangzhou, China, which will be held in 2023 due to COVID-19, will have T20 events for both men and women. The CWG 2022 in Birmingham featured women's-only competition in the T20 format.

Other notable names to make the cut include Jemimah Rodrigues, Shafali Verma, Deepti Sharma and Richa Ghosh.

The women's cricket event at the Asian Games 2023, to be played in the T20 format, will take place from September 19 to 28. All the matches will be played at the Zhejiang University of Technology Pingfeng Cricket Field.

India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh - the top-four ranked teams in the ICC Women's T20I rankings as of June 1, 2023, are the top seeds and will start directly from the quarter-final stage.

India are sending teams- both men and women - for the Asian Games cricket competition for the first time. This is the second time the Indian women's cricket team will play at a multi-sport event. At the Commonwealth Games 2022 last year in Birmingham, India women won a silver medal after losing to Australia in the final.

Team India (Women) squad for 19th Asian Games: Harmanpreet Kaur (Captain), Smriti Mandhana (VC), Shafali Verma, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh (wk), Amanjot Kaur, Devika Vaidya, Titas Sadhu, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Minnu Mani, Kanika Ahuja, Uma Chetry (wk), Anusha Bareddy and Pooja Vastrakar.

Standby list of players: Harleen Deol, Kashvee Gautam, Sneh Rana and Saika Ishaque. (ANI)