Women’s World Cup 2025: Big blow for India as injured Pratika Rawal ruled out of tournament | Cricket News
Navi Mumbai: In a big blow to India’s campaign, with just 48 hours to go before their 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup semifinal clash against mighty Australia at the DY Patil Stadium, in-form opener Pratika Rawal was ruled out of the remainder of the tournament due to knee and ankle injuries she sustained during India’s final league-stage match against Bangladesh at the same venue on Sunday night. While the match was abandoned due to unrelenting, unseasonal rain, Rawal twisted her ankle in the 21st over of Bangladesh’s innings after she fell awkwardly while charging towards the ball at deep mid-wicket. Helped by the team’s support staff, she hobbled off the field.
While the drainage system at the DY Patil Stadium is good and the main square and a major portion of the ground were covered during the rain, there were significant puddles of water in the outfield in unprotected areas. The 25-year-old Delhi batter has been the second-highest run-getter for India in the World Cup after her senior opening partner Smriti Mandhana, having scored 308 runs in six matches at 51.33, including a half-century against Australia and a 134-ball 122 against New Zealand. Displaying remarkable consistency since her debut against West Indies at Vadodara in December last year, Rawal has scored 1,110 runs in 23 WODIs at 50.45, with seven fifties and two hundreds. While scoring a century against New Zealand on Thursday, Rawal became the joint-fastest, along with Australia’s Lindsay Reeler, to complete 1,000 WODI runs in 23 innings. Together with her senior partner Smriti Mandhana, the young gun has forged an extremely prolific partnership — the pair shared a record 212-run stand (the highest for India in World Cups) against New Zealand. The BCCI had on Sunday night put out an update about her injury, which read: “Team India all-rounder Pratika Rawal sustained an injury to her knee and ankle while fielding in the first innings against Bangladesh. The BCCI Medical Team is closely monitoring her progress.” Pratika underwent scans after her injury. With Pratika injured, it was all-rounder Amanjot Kaur (15 not out) who opened India’s innings with Mandhana (34 not out, 27b, 6×4), as India, asked to chase 127 in 27 overs as per the D/L method in a rain-curtailed match, reached 57 for no loss in the ninth over before rain interrupted the match for the fifth and final time.
