The Indian women’s cricket team has faced a severe disadvantage in their ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 journey. Prominent off spinner Shreyanka Patil is ruled out for the remainder of the tournament. Reports from Cricinfo indicate that the cricketer sustained an ankle ligament injury during the Group A fixture against the Netherlands.
The unfortunate physical mishap transpired just one delivery into her bowling spell in Leeds. While attempting to field a ball hit toward the mid on region, Patil awkwardly twisted her ankle and collapsed in immediate agony. The Indian squad’s physiotherapist quickly attended to her on the field as she clutched her right leg in clear pain. Because she was unable to place any weight on her foot, medical staff brought out a stretcher to assist her off the field, indicating the potential severity of the condition. Patil had to be taken for immediate medical scans following the incident.
RCB teammate named replacement
“The Event Technical Committee of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 has approved Prema Rawat as a replacement for Shreyanka Patil in the India squad. The replacement of a player requires the approval of the Event Technical Committee before the replacement player can be officially added to the squad,” ICC said in a statement.
Who is Prema?
The 24-year-old leg-spinner has impressed with her recent performances in both the Women’s Premier League and the Women’s Asia Cup Rising Stars tournament. Representing India A in the latter, she claimed eight wickets at an outstanding average of 9.62.
Prema has featured in six Women’s Premier League matches for Royal Challengers Bengaluru across the last two seasons, picking up three wickets. On the domestic circuit, she also played a pivotal role in guiding Uttarakhand to the senior women’s championship title, further underlining her growing reputation as one of India’s promising young spinners.
A Recurring Battle with Fitness Issues
This latest physical setback marks another difficult chapter in the young bowler’s recurring challenges with fitness over the past few years. Her unfortunate run with major tournaments commenced in July 2024, when a fractured finger prevented her participation in that year’s T20 World Cup.
Her subsequent recovery process faced multiple delays due to severe shin splints in both legs, which were soon followed by a stress reaction in her wrist. These collective issues kept her away from competitive cricket for nearly a full year.
She eventually made a successful return to action during the 2025 Women’s Caribbean Premier League (CPL) and subsequently played a crucial role in Royal Challengers Bengaluru securing their second championship title in early 2026. This history makes her current World Cup removal particularly frustrating.
Current Tournament Standings
In terms of tournament progression, India has secured victories in their opening two matches against Pakistan and the Netherlands. However, the level of competition intensifies moving forward, as the team is scheduled to compete against South Africa and Australia in their final two league stage fixtures.
