Pratika Rawal from India receives medical treatment. (Getty Images) NAVI MUMBAI: With just three days left for their Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 semi-final match against powerhouse Australia at the DY Patil Stadium, India suffered a major injury to one of the tournament’s key players in the final league match of the tournament against Bangladesh at the same venue on Sunday, which was abandoned due to incessant unseasonal rain.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SIGN UP NOW!Opener Pratik Rawal, who was India’s second-highest innings player after her senior partner Smriti Mandhana, scoring 308 runs in six matches@51.33, including a half-century against Australia and a 134-ball 122 against New Zealand in the last match, twisted her ankle in the 21st over at Longningson in Bangladesh while hitting the ball towards Bangladesh. Although she was not carried off, the 25-year-old was helped off the field by her teammates and was able to walk, which means it is unlikely to be a fracture.
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BCCI soon released an update on her injury which read: “Indian all-rounder Pratika Rawal sustained knee and ankle injuries while fielding in the first innings against Bangladesh. BCCI’s 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, 6x4s) as India asked to chase 126 in 27 overs under the D/L method in a rain-restricted match, reaching 57 in the fifth over to break their unbeaten run in the match. If India hope to upset Australia’s applecart in the semis, they will rely heavily on the very consistent opening partnership of Mandhana and Pratika. This is the second injury to a bowler in the Indian camp – explosive ‘wicket batsman Riche Ghosh injured her finger in the 55-run win over New Zealand at the venue and was rested for the match, with Uma Chetry making her WODI debut. The 23-year-old Chetry is now the first female cricketer from Assam and the Northeast region to play for India in the Women’s World Cup.India will hope that both Pritika and Richa recover in time for the semi-finals.Radha Yadav takes 3-30 to restrict Bangladesh to 119/9 Meanwhile, playing her first game of the tournament, left-arm spinner Radha Yadav seized 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 best fielder, Radha also produced a superb direct hit at the non-striker’s end to run out skipper Nigar Sultana (nine off 24 balls).Resuming their innings at 39 for two in 12.2 after a 135-minute rain break, Bangladesh quickly collapsed, losing seven wickets and adding just 80 runs in 88 balls as left-arm spinner Shree Charini also cheered, taking two for 23 in six overs. Apart from Radha, another display of electric fielding came from substitute fielder pacer Arundhati Reddy, who pulled down the flaps as she sprinted from deep mid-wicket and slid forward to catch Bangladesh top-scorer Sharmin Akhter (36, 43b, 4×4) before throwing the ball away with glee.Despite rain threatening to wash out the entire match at one point, it was heartening to see around 15,000 spectators still rooting for the Women-In-Blue at a regular venue for women’s international cricket. As India had already qualified for the semi-finals, the match was inconsequential, but many enthusiastic fans still turned up at the stadium, with music playing in the background, hoping for a resumption of action.The second semi-final and final of the World Cup, which will also be played in Navi Mumbai, are also threatened by rain in the future, but the good news is that as per ICC rules, there is a reserve day for both the semi-final and the final. On a gloomy Sunday afternoon, Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur decided to jump first for a toss that was delayed by 35 minutes. It was Harmanpreet’s first toss win for India Women in ODIs after losing eight on the trot – their longest streak in the format, next to as many for Mithali Raj between February 2006 and July 2006.Earlier, Bangladesh struggled with the conditions before the heavens opened again. From the last ball of the first over, Sumaiya Akter sliced a wide ball outside the off stump to Charani at short third. Rubya Haider, who scraped around on 13 off 32 balls, promoted Deepti Sharma, who opened the bowling, to Harleen Deol at mid-wicket. India made as many as three changes to the lineup for the inconsequential match. The tournament organizers have also decided to rest pacer Kranti Goud and off-spinning all-rounder Sneh Rana while bringing back Amanjot.
