India's Women's World Cup campaign has hit a major setback as opener Pratika Rawal suffered a serious injury during the crucial league match against Bangladesh at Navi Mumbai on Sunday (October 26).
The incident took place on the last ball of the 21st over when Pratika, fielding near midwicket, charged in to stop a boundary and slid awkwardly along the boundary ropes. Her right foot appeared to get stuck on the wet ground, causing her ankle to twist painfully. She immediately fell to the ground in visible agony, raising concerns among teammates and fans.
Although a stretcher was brought onto the field as a precaution, Rawal was able to get up and walk off with assistance. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed that she sustained
injuries to both her knee and ankle and that their medical team is closely monitoring her condition.
There has been no official update yet on the severity of the injury, but the situation is serious enough to cause uncertainty about her availability for the upcoming Women's World Cup semifinal against Australia, scheduled to be held on October 30 in Navi Mumbai.
Pratika Rawal has been instrumental in India's campaign, ranking as the second-highest run-scorer for India with 308 runs, including a match-winning century (122 runs) against New Zealand. Her injury is a big blow to the team as she forms a strong opening partnership with Smriti Mandhana, India's top run-getter so far. The Indian camp is hopeful for her speedy recovery but remains cautious ahead of the high-stakes semifinal clash.
Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur conveyed that the team is hopeful and that Rawal is being monitored closely, while the BCCI reiterated that the medical team's assessment will determine her availability for the semifinal.
"Our medical team will update on her. They are taking care of her injury, and hopefully, she will be back soon," Harmanpreet said at the post-match presentation.
