Indian opening batter Pratika Rawal is likely to miss the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup semifinal against Australia owing to an ankle injury, The Indian Express has learnt.
The 25-year-old sustained the injury after she overran and fell while trying to stop a ball during the final league phase match against Bangladesh at Navi Mumbai on Sunday.
Fielding at deep midwicket, Pratika ran towards her left off the last ball of the 21st over. The match had been reduced to 27 overs already after bursts of intense rain earlier in the day. Sharmin Akhter’s slog towards the leg side saw Pratika over-run the ball a little to her right and then as the fielder hit the brakes, her right ankle twisted underneath her weight. The ball went for four but immediately, Pratika was in serious pain and didn’t get up from her prone position for a while. The medical staff rushed on to the field as did some of her teammates.
She was taken away from the field with Arundhati Reddy coming in as a substitute fielder. A stretcher was also rushed to the field by the ground staff but it was not needed as the batter hobbled off the field with the help of the Indian support staff.
When India came out to bat, it was Amanjot Kaur who opened with Smriti Mandhana. The BCCI later said in an update: “India all-rounder Pratika Rawal sustained an injury to her knee and ankle while fielding in the 1st innings against Bangladesh. The BCCI Medical Team is closely monitoring her progress.” India take on Australia in Navi Mumbai on Thursday in the second semifinal.
Rawal had made a composed 122 in the crucial match against New Zealand, which helped India reach 340/3 in 49 overs.
Her absence from the knockout clash could come as a body blow for India.
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When India named their updated squad after Yastika Bhatia’s injury, they had confirmed that the standy players in reserves are Tejal Hasabnis, Prema Rawat, Priya Mishra, Minnu Mani, and Sayali Satghare. Shafali Verma, whose lack of consistency in this format led to Pratika making her debut late last year, has been in sensational form in the domestic T20 tournament but is not part of the reserves.
