India captain Harmanpreet Kaur said that she was awaiting an update from the medical team about in-form opener Pratika Rawal after the latter limped off during the washed out Women’s World Cup group game against Bangladesh. The incident happened in the 21st over when Rawal, fielding at deep midwicket, twisted her right ankle after her foot got jammed on the wet field of the DY Patil Stadium.
“Pratika is being monitored by the medical team and hopefully they’ll (medical team) get back soon. It’s a very important game for us (semifinal), we have played very good cricket in the league matches and everyone has contributed which we’ll carry forward,” said Harmanpreet. The injury could prove to be a huge blow for India’s hopes of going all the way for the first time in a World Cup as their next match is the semi-finals against none other than the mighty Australia.
Pratika, who scored a superb century against New Zealand at this venue to take India to the semifinals, is the second leading run-scorer in the tournament behind Smriti Mandhana, with whom she has formed a formidable opening partnership. What would sting India even more is the fact that Rawal sustained the injury while fielding in a match that was already a dead rubber and couldn’t even be completed due to rain in Navi Mumbai. India were cruising at 57 for no loss in 8.4 overs in the chase of the revised target of 126 in 27 overs when rain put an end to the proceedings.
Harmanpreet said she was satisfied with whatever little she saw from her team on Sunday. “Whatever we thought we have achieved and hopefully Pratika will also be fine for the next game,” the skipper said. “We keep speaking about enjoying ourselves and that’s what we want to do going forward. The way Radha (Yadav) played today gives us another option for the next game,” she said. Radha took three three wickets to restrict Bangladesh to 119/9.
