India Faces Challenge at ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 with Shreyanka Patil’s Injury
India has hit a rough patch in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 as off-spinner Shreyanka Patil has been ruled out for the rest of the tournament due to an ankle injury. This incident occurred during India’s Group A match against the Netherlands on Wednesday.
The injury unfolded when Shreyanka was fielding. After delivering the first ball of the sixth over, her attempt to stop a shot from Phebe Molkenboer led to her chasing the ball at midwicket. Unfortunately, while bending down to pick it up, she lost her balance and landed awkwardly, resulting in the injury.
In light of this setback, the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 Event Technical Committee has approved Prema Rawat as Shreyanka’s replacement on the Indian team. Rawat was already in England, playing with the India A squad, and will now join the senior team for the remainder of the tournament.
An official statement from the ICC confirmed the news: “The Event Technical Committee of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 has approved Prema Rawat as a replacement for Shreyanka Patil due to her right ankle injury sustained while fielding against the Netherlands.”
Although she hasn’t made her international debut yet, 24-year-old Prema Rawat has shown great promise in domestic competitions. She gained attention during the Women’s Premier League and recently excelled in the Women’s Asia Cup Rising Stars competition, where she took eight wickets for India A with an impressive average of 9.62.
In her three matches this season for Royal Challengers Bangalore, Rawat claimed two wickets with an average of 8 and maintained an economy rate below 6.
Patil’s injury comes just a few months after her return to international cricket. She played a key role in India’s opening World Cup victory over Pakistan, where she recorded figures of 0 for 17 in three overs.
This unexpected turn of events adds pressure to the Indian team as they look to navigate the tournament without one of their key players.
