Women’s World Cup: Pratika Rawal injury fears as India vs Bangladesh match abandoned due to rain | Cricket News

NAVI MUMBAI: With just three days to go before the Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 semi-final against mighty Australia at the DY Patil Stadium, India suffered a serious injury to one of their key players in the final league match of the tournament, against Bangladesh at the same venue on Sunday, which was abandoned due to unseasonable incessant rain.Go beyond borders with our YouTube channel. REGISTER NOW!Opener Pratik Rawal, who has been the second-highest run-scorer for India after her senior opening partner Smriti Mandhana, after scoring 308 runs in six matches at 51.33, including a half-century against Australia and a 134-ball 122 against New Zealand in the last match, twisted her ankle in Bangladesh’s 21st innings as she fell while charging towards the long-term balloon. Although she was not carried off on a stretcher, the 25-year-old was helped off the field by her teammates and was able to walk somehow, meaning it may not be a fracture.

The BCCI soon issued an update on her injury, which read: “Team India all-rounder Pratika Rawal suffered a knee and ankle injury while playing in the first innings against Bangladesh. The BCCI medical team is closely monitoring her progress.”With Pratika injured, it was all-rounder Amanjot Kaur (15 not out) who opened India’s innings with Mandhana (34 not out, 27b, 6×4), as India, asked to chase down 126 in 27 overs by the D/L method in a rain-shortened match, reached 57 for no loss in the ninth before rain halted the match for the fifth and final times. India will rely heavily on the extremely consistent opening partnership of Mandhana and Pratika if they hope to upset Australia’s apple cart in the semi-final clash. This is the second injury to a gun player in the Indian camp – explosive keeper Richa Ghosh, who injured his finger during the 55-run win over New Zealand at this venue, and was rested for the match, with Uma Chetry making her WODI debut. Chetry, 23, is now the first female cricketer from Assam and the North East region to play for India in the Women’s World Cup.India will hope Pritika and Richa recover in time for the semi-final clash.Radha Yadav it takes 3-30 to restrict Bangladesh to 119/9 Meanwhile, playing her first match in the tournament, left-arm spinner Radha Yadav made the most of the opportunity with both hands, taking three for 30 in six overs to help India restrict Bangladesh to 119 for nine in 27 overs after asking them to bat first. Proving her worth as perhaps the team’s best fielder, Radha also hit a superb direct hit from the non-striker’s end to remove captain Nigar Sultana (nine from 24 balls).Resuming their innings at 39 for two in 12.2 overs after a long break of 135 minutes, Bangladesh collapsed quickly, losing seven wickets while adding just 80 runs in 88 balls, as left-arm spinner Shree Charini also rejoiced, taking two for 23 in six overs. Besides Radha, the other electric fielding display came from replacement fielder, pacer Arundhati Reddy, who completed her blinder when she sprinted from mid-wicket and slid forward to catch Bangladesh’s top scorer Sharmin Akhter (36, 43b, 4×4), before throwing the ball in exhilaration.Even though rain threatened to wipe out the entire match at one point, it was heartening to see around 15,000 spectators staying to cheer on the Women-In-Blue at a regular venue for women’s international cricket. With India already qualified for the semi-finals, the match was of no consequence, but many enthusiastic fans still came into the stadium, music blaring in the background, hoping for the action to resume.Going forward, there is also a threat of rain for the second semi-final and final of the World Cup, which will also be played in Navi Mumbai, but the good news is that as per ICC rules, there is one day spare for the semi-finals and final. On a gloomy Sunday afternoon, Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur decided to bowl first in the toss, which was delayed by 35 minutes. This was Harmanpreet’s first toss win for Indian women in ODIs after losing eight on the trot – their longest streak in this format, alongside as many for Mithali Raj between February 2006 and July 2006.Earlier, Bangladesh was grappling with the prevailing conditions before the skies opened up again. On the last ball of the first over, Sumaiya Akter cut a wide ball outside off stump to Charani at third short. Rubya Haider, who struck 13 off 32 balls, bowled Deepti Sharma, who opened the bowling, to Harleen Deol at mid-off. India made as many as three changes to their line-up for this inconsequential match. The tournament hosts also decided to give a break to pacer Kranti Goud and all-rounder Sneh Rana, while bringing back Amanjot.