Mumbai: A collective sigh of relief has swept through the Indian women’s cricket team camp just weeks before their 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup journey begins. Fast bowler Arundhati Reddy, who had suffered a knee injury during a warm-up match against England in Bengaluru, is now confirmed to be “perfectly fine,” according to sources within the BCCI.
Initial concerns arose when Reddy, having just dismissed England opener Amy Jones, was struck on her left knee while attempting a return catch off a powerful drive from Heather Knight during the 13th over. The incident saw Reddy collapse and struggle to put weight on her leg, necessitating a departure from the field in a wheelchair. However, subsequent medical scans revealed no significant damage, alleviating fears of a long-term layoff.
India is set to kick off their 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup campaign on September 30 in Guwahati against co-hosts Sri Lanka. In a strategic move to ensure player freshness leading up to the tournament, key players including skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, vice-captain Smriti Mandhana, and ace all-rounder Deepti Sharma were rested from the initial warm-up match. The team is scheduled to play a second warm-up fixture against New Zealand in Bengaluru before heading to Guwahati for their opening encounter.
Reddy is a vital part of India’s World Cup squad, being one of the four seamers chosen for the prestigious tournament, which marks her debut in a Women’s ODI World Cup. Her impressive record includes 15 wickets from 11 WODIs, with a standout performance of four for 26 against Australia last December. Having consistently delivered for Delhi Capitals over the past two seasons, Reddy made her WODI debut against South Africa last year, also in Bengaluru.