Smriti Mandhana out of MIQ, to join team for remainder of ODI series

Smriti Mandhana on Tuesday completed her extended stay in quarantine here and left for Queenstown to join the Indian women's cricket team for the remainder of the five-match ODI series against New Zealand. Mandhana had missed the one-off T20 International and the two ODIs against New Zealand as she was in extended Managed Isolation and Quarantine (MIQ) along with two other players -- pacers Meghna Singh and Renuka Singh. Renuka is already out of quarantine while Meghna also came out of MIQ on Tuesday. However, both Mandhana and Meghna may not be available for the third ODI here on Friday on fitness grounds as they have been in quarantine for long. "Finally out of quarantine!! Can't wait to get back with the team," the 25-year-old Mandhana wrote on her Instagram handle, along with a picture of her with her luggage.

In her absence, India had lost the one-off T20 International and the first two ODIs. The second ODI was played on Tuesday. Earlier, after the one-off T20I, batter Yastika Bhatia had informed about the stay in MIQ of Mandhana, Meghana Singh and Renuka Singh. The Indian team had undergone a 10-day MIQ in Christchurch after its arrival in New Zealand. The team had undergone a week of hard quarantine in Mumbai before its departure on January 24. To reduce the risk of a COVID-19 outbreak, New Zealand Cricket had moved all of India's fixtures, including a T20I and five ODIs, to Queenstown. The bilateral series is a key assignment for India ahead of the 50-over World Cup in March-April in New Zealand.