India Faces Setback as Shreyanka Patil Exits Women's T20 World Cup 2026 Due to Injury

Shreyanka Patil Ruled Out of Tournament

In a significant setback for Team India ahead of their Group A match against South Africa in the Women’s T20 World Cup 2026, all-rounder Shreyanka Patil has been sidelined for the remainder of the tournament due to an ankle injury sustained on June 19.

The 23-year-old athlete injured her ankle during a match against the Netherlands on June 17 in Leeds, twisting her right ankle while attempting a quick stop. She was visibly in pain and struggled to bear weight on her leg before being carried off the field.

The anxious expressions on her teammates' faces reflected their concern as medical personnel rushed to assist her. Unfortunately, Shreyanka's injury has ruled her out of further participation in the tournament.

Prema Rawat Steps in as Replacement

Following the confirmation of Shreyanka Patil's exit from the tournament, the Women’s Selection Committee has named uncapped leg-spinner Prema Rawat as her replacement for the ongoing event.

Reports indicated that Shreyanka would not be able to continue in the Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 due to a ligament injury. With crucial matches against South Africa and Australia approaching, the BCCI selectors acted quickly to find a suitable replacement who could maintain the team's balance and spin-bowling capabilities.

Prema Rawat was selected from a pool of candidates, including Anushka Sharma, Vaishnavi Sharma, Minu Manni, and Sneh Rana. Rawat was part of the India A squad for the upcoming T20 series against England A, making her an ideal choice.

Rawat's Role in the Team

With India's spin-bowling lineup featuring Deepti Sharma, Radha Yadav, and Shree Charani, along with Shafali Verma as a part-time spinner, Prema Rawat adds a dynamic wrist-spin option to the bowling attack, complemented by her lower-order batting skills.

While her inclusion in the playing XI is uncertain due to Radha Yadav's presence in the squad, Rawat is poised to be a crucial backup in the spin department, ready to capitalize on any opportunity that arises.

Introducing Prema Rawat

Born on November 12, 2001, Prema Rawat initially pursued hockey before transitioning to cricket, driven by her family's encouragement and the lack of local facilities for hockey in her remote village in Uttarakhand.

Her breakthrough came when she emerged as the leading wicket-taker in the Senior Women’s T20 Trophy 2025, claiming 16 wickets at an impressive economy rate of 5.55 over 10 matches. This performance earned her a contract with Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the Women’s Premier League (WPL) for INR 1.2 crore after a competitive bidding process.

Retained for INR 20 lakh ahead of WPL 2026, Rawat quickly advanced into the India A setup, showcasing her talent in developmental tours. Notably, she excelled in the Women’s Asia Cup Rising Stars last year, taking 8 wickets at an average of 9.62 and an economy rate of 4.27 across five matches.

Additionally, she was the joint-highest wicket-taker during India A’s Tour of Australia, securing seven wickets in three T20 matches. Now, she stands ready to make her mark on the global stage.