Pratika Rawal's Injury Sparks Major Lineup Shift for India's World Cup Semifinal
Pratika Rawal has been ruled out of the Women's World Cup due to a knee and ankle injury. Shafali Verma replaces her. Rawal was in top form, scoring 308 runs in six innings. India's team will face Australia in the semifinal, with the final coming up soon.
In a significant setback for India's Women's World Cup campaign, opener Pratika Rawal has been sidelined due to a knee and ankle injury sustained during a match against Bangladesh. The International Cricket Council confirmed Rawal's injury occurred when her right foot got stuck in the turf, leading to immediate pain and eventual withdrawal from the tournament.
Rawal had been in exceptional form throughout the series, scoring 308 runs in just six innings and recording her maiden World Cup century against New Zealand. Her partnership with Smriti Mandhana was pivotal for India. Shafali Verma, who last played an ODI a year ago, has been named as Rawal's replacement. Verma, a hard-hitting opener, has an ODI career average of 23 and is expected to join the squad for the upcoming semifinal against defending champions Australia.
Adding to India's concerns, there are fitness doubts over wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh, who injured her finger against New Zealand. As the team prepares for the semifinal round, the loss of Rawal and potential absence of Ghosh cast uncertainty on the squad's composition and strategy.
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