India’s star batter Pratika Rawal suffered a painful knee and ankle injury during the team’s final league-stage clash against Bangladesh at the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 in Navi Mumbai, forcing her to miss out on opening India’s chase.
The injury occurred in the first innings, off the final ball of the 21st over, when Bangladesh batter Sharmin Akter attempted to pull a delivery from Deepti Sharma. Rawal, sprinting from cow corner to cut off the shot, appeared to twist her ankle as her foot got stuck in the turf. She immediately fell to the ground in visible pain, clutching her ankle as the ball rolled away for four runs.
Though a stretcher was called for, Rawal managed to get up with the help of the team physio and limped off the field. The BCCI later released a statement confirming that “the BCCI Medical Team is closely monitoring her progress.”
In Rawal’s absence, Amanjot Kaur joined Smriti Mandhana at the top of the order as India began their rain-affected chase.
🚨 UPDATE#TeamIndia all-rounder Pratika Rawal sustained an injury to her knee and ankle while fielding in the 1st innings against Bangladesh. The BCCI Medical Team is closely monitoring her progress.#WomenInBlue | #CWC25 | #INDvBAN pic.twitter.com/JDocwJEF9A
— BCCI Women (@BCCIWomen) October 26, 2025
Rain Disrupts Play Again in Navi Mumbai
The contest itself was heavily impacted by rain. The start was delayed by two hours, reducing the match to 43 overs per side. However, another downpour midway through Bangladesh’s innings further cut the game short, with play resuming at 8:05 PM local time as a 27-overs-a-side encounter. Even then, light drizzle persisted as the teams took the field once more.
Rawal’s Form and India’s Campaign
Rawal’s injury comes as a major concern for India ahead of their semi-final against Australia. The 25-year-old has been in scintillating form throughout the tournament, sitting second on the run-scorers’ chart behind Mandhana with 308 runs at an average of 51.33 in six innings. She had scored a brilliant century in India’s previous fixture against New Zealand, a crucial win that secured the team’s place in the knockouts.
Adding to India’s worries, Radha Yadav also had a minor injury scare in the 25th over while fielding at point, when her foot appeared to get caught in the turf. Fortunately, she recovered quickly and bowled her next over without issue.
Despite the result against Bangladesh not affecting their standing, India are set to finish fourth in the group stage and will face table-toppers Australia in the second semi-final at the Dr. DY Patil Stadium on Thursday.
As the Women’s World Cup enters its final stages, Indian fans will be anxiously waiting for updates on Pratika Rawal’s fitness – hoping she recovers in time to play what could be one of the most important matches of her career.
