Navi Mumbai: In a major setback for Team India, young and dependable opener Pratika Rawal has been ruled out of the Women’s One-Day World Cup due to a serious injury to her right knee and ankle. Rawal, who scored 308 runs in six matches—the second-highest for India—was instrumental in taking the team to the semifinals.
In her absence, the selectors have brought back the well-known aggressive opener Shafali Verma into the squad. The injury occurred during India’s match against Bangladesh on Sunday at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai, when Rawal twisted her right leg while fielding.
With Smriti Mandhana leading the tournament with 365 runs, Rawal was India’s next-best batter before being sidelined. Interestingly, Shafali was not part of the original squad, but the selectors chose her over Tejal Hasabnis as a more experienced replacement.
Semifinal Schedule
1st Semifinal: Wednesday, 29 October – England vs South Africa in Guwahati
(3:00 PM IST)
2nd Semifinal: Thursday, 30 October – India vs Australia at DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai (3:00 PM IST)
Both semifinals and Sunday’s final have been allotted reserve days by the ICC.
Shafali Returns After a Year
The 21-year-old from Haryana has played 29 ODIs for India, scoring 644 runs with four half-centuries. However, she last represented India in October 2024. At the time of World Cup selection, the selectors had preferred Pratika Rawal over Shafali for the opening slot. Ironically, Shafali now gets her chance as Rawal’s replacement.
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Why Shafali Was Chosen
Shafali Verma has been in good recent form. Playing for India A, she scored 52 against Australia A and 70 against New Zealand A in 50-over matches.
In domestic cricket for Haryana in December 2024, she amassed 527 runs at an average of 75.28, including a blistering 197 off 115 balls against Bengal.
She also impressed in the Women’s Premier League (WPL), scoring 304 runs for Delhi Capitals at a strike rate of 152.76.
Given her explosive batting and current form, selectors felt Shafali was the right choice to fill the void left by Pratika Rawal.
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