Shafali Verma: India call up batter in place of injured Pratika Rawal for World Cup semi-final against Australia
India have called up batter Shafali Verma in place of the injured Pratika Rawal for their Women’s World Cup semi-final against Australia.
Rawal sustained an ankle injury while fielding during India’s final group game against Bangladesh on Sunday.
The 25-year-old opener tried to stop a boundary on the slippery outfield at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai and was later unable to bat in the match.
Rawal is the tournament’s second-highest run-scorer with 308 in six innings at 51.33, behind only fellow India opening batter Smriti Mandhana.
India’s request to replace Rawal in their squad with Verma was approved by the International Cricket Council’s event technical committee for the tournament.
Verma has not played a one-day international for India since October 2024 but has played 50-over cricket for India A in recent months.
The 21-year-old was left out of India’s original squad for the World Cup but will now come into contention for a place against Australia in the semi-final showdown on 30 October.
Amanjot Kaur opened against Bangladesh after Rawal limped out while Uma Chetry and Jemimah Rodrigues are other potential partners for Mandhana at the top of the order.