Pratika Rawal Ruled Out Of IND-W vs AUS-W World Cup Semi-Final Clash

India’s in-form opener Pratika Rawal was ruled out of the Women’s ODI World Cup semi-final against Australia after suffering an ankle injury during the last league-stage match.

In a major blow to India’s campaign, opener Pratika Rawal has been ruled out of the Women’s ODI World Cup semi-final against Australia. Rawal, who is the tournament’s second-highest run-scorer, sustained an ankle injury during Bangladesh’s batting innings in India’s final league-stage game and could also miss the final if India make it there.

The incident took place during the 21st over of the rain-hit match in Navi Mumbai, when Sharmin Akter swiped Deepti Sharma across the line. As Rawal sprinted left from deep midwicket, her foot got stuck in the turf, causing her ankle to twist as she fell awkwardly. The ball rolled away to the boundary, while Rawal lay on the ground in visible pain, clutching her ankle. Although a stretcher was brought out, she managed to get up with the physio’s support and hobbled off the field.

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Rawal did not return to bat later, with Amanjot Kaur opening alongside Smriti Mandhana. Amanjot scored an unbeaten 15 in India’s brief batting stint of 8.4 overs before rain forced an early end to the contest.

Pratika Rawal Was The Standout Tournament Performer

At just 25, Rawal has been one of India’s standout performers in the tournament, amassing 308 runs in six innings at an average of 51.33 and a strike rate of 77.77. Her campaign featured a commanding 75 against Australia in Visakhapatnam and a match-winning 122 against New Zealand in Navi Mumbai. During that knock, she also became the joint-fastest batter to reach 1000 runs in women’s ODIs. Only her opening partner Smriti Mandhana has scored more runs than her in this World Cup.

Rawal has also been a part of two of the tournament’s top five batting partnerships — 212 runs against New Zealand and 155 runs against Australia, both alongside Mandhana.

With Rawal’s absence confirmed, India now face a crucial decision on who will partner Mandhana at the top in the semi-final. Amanjot Kaur, who opened in the previous game, remains a strong contender. Harleen Deol is another possible option, while Uma Chetry, who opened in the World Cup warm-up against New Zealand and in three T20Is, could also step in. Jemimah Rodrigues has previous experience opening in ODI cricket as well.

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Currently, there has been no official update on whether Rawal will recover in time for the final, should India qualify. The management is also yet to announce any replacement plans. Among the reserves, Tejal Hasabnis is the only specialist batter available. India will take on Australia in the semi-final on October 30 in Navi Mumbai.