The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has confirmed a significant change to the Indian squad for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025. All-rounder Pratika Rawal has unfortunately been ruled out of the remainder of the tournament after sustaining ankle and knee injuries. These injuries occurred during India’s final league-stage match against Bangladesh in Navi Mumbai.
BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia released a statement confirming Rawal’s withdrawal and wishing her a swift recovery. The BCCI medical team will continue to closely monitor her rehabilitation.
To fill the void left by Rawal, the women’s selection committee has called up Shafali Verma. Shafali, although not initially part of the main squad or the reserves, will be immediately available for selection for the highly anticipated semi-final clash. This match is scheduled for October 30 in Navi Mumbai.
Verma’s inclusion comes on the back of a series of strong performances. Her recent form in domestic cricket and for India A has been particularly impressive. She recently notched up scores of 52 against Australia A in Brisbane and a commanding 70 against New Zealand A in Bengaluru.
Her stellar season continued in the 2024–25 domestic one-day tournament, where she amassed an impressive 527 runs for Haryana. This included a phenomenal knock of 197 runs off just 115 balls against Bengal, demonstrating her explosive batting prowess. Furthermore, in the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2025, Shafali was the leading Indian batter for Delhi Capitals, scoring 304 runs at an impressive strike rate of 152.76.
The upcoming semi-final between India and Australia is set to be a thrilling encounter in Navi Mumbai on October 30, with Shafali Verma now a key addition to India’s lineup.