Yuvraj Singh has been included in India’s 15-man squad for the Twenty20 World Cup in Sri Lanka next month, marking a memorable return to the game after undergoing cancer treatment.
The ace batsman has recovered from a nine-month long battle with cancer and was declared fit to play by BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) doctors yesterday. Today, the national selectors picked him in the 15-member squad for two T20 matches to be played at home against New Zealand on September 8 and September 11 and for the ICC T20 World Cup beginning on September 18 in Sri Lanka.
The southpaw’s selection for the tournament was expected after he was included in the preliminary squad of 30 members last month.
“Can’t explain how I feel ! Feels like I’m going to play for india for the first time! want to thank a lot of people. Specially bcci and selectors for showing their faith in me my friends and family my fans and media ! It’s a special day for me,” Yuvraj Singh  posted on Twitter. Yuvraj last played for India in November 2011.
Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh was also recalled to the national side after a one-year gap, alongside speedster Laxmipathy Balaji, whose last international game was way back in 2009. Another player who got the selectors’ nod was leggie Piyush Chawla, who last played for India in the 2011 ODI World Cup.
The same squad will also play two T-20 Internationals against New Zealand at home.
Team: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain), Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag, Suresh Raina, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Irfan Pathan, Ravichandran Ashwin, Zaheer Khan, Laxmipathy Balaji, Ashok Dinda, Rohit Sharma, Piyush Chawla, Harbhajan Singh, Manoj Tiwary.