Team India’s journey in the ICC Women’s World Cup faced a significant setback on Sunday when their in-form opener, Pratika Rawal, suffered a twisted ankle. The unfortunate incident occurred during their match against Bangladesh at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai, casting a shadow of concern over the team’s preparations for the crucial semifinal.
The 25-year-old was fielding at deep midwicket when she appeared to twist her right ankle while attempting to stop a boundary on the final delivery of the 21st over. The ball eluded her grasp and trickled to the fence as Rawal fell awkwardly on the wet outfield, which had remained uncovered during light showers earlier in the day.
She was visibly in pain as India’s medical staff quickly rushed onto the field. A stretcher was brought in, but Rawal, with commendable fortitude, chose to hobble off with the support of team personnel rather than use it. The full extent of her injury is yet to be officially confirmed, but with India gearing up to face Australia in the highly anticipated semifinal, her availability is now a major concern.
Rawal has been a standout performer for India throughout this tournament, forming a formidable opening partnership with vice-captain Smriti Mandhana. Just days prior to this incident, she had played a magnificent match-winning innings of 122 against New Zealand, an effort that was pivotal in securing India’s place in the semifinals.
This incident momentarily overshadowed an otherwise dominant bowling performance from the Indian side. Radha Yadav led the attack with impressive figures of 3/30, ably supported by Shree Charani’s 2/23, as Bangladesh was restricted to a total of 119/9 in a rain-truncated 27-over match.
While the team maintained its composure on the field, the sight of Rawal limping off was an unwelcome and worrying moment for Indian fans, highlighting a potentially pivotal challenge as the team prepares for its biggest match of the tournament against their toughest rivals.