New Delhi, 19 June (H.S.):

The Indian women's cricket team has suffered a major setback during the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026, with off-spinner Shreyanka Patil being ruled out of the remainder of the tournament due to a right ankle injury. Young leg-spinner Prema Rawat has been named as her replacement in the Indian squad.

Shreyanka sustained the injury on Wednesday during India's second Group-stage match against the Netherlands at Headingley. She twisted her ankle while attempting to stop the ball in the final over of the powerplay and had to be carried off the field immediately.

The tournament's Event Technical Committee approved the inclusion of 24-year-old Prema Rawat as Shreyanka's replacement in the Indian squad on Friday.

Prema is yet to make her international debut, but her performances in domestic cricket and the Women's Premier League (WPL) have earned her recognition from the selectors. She has played six Women's Premier League matches for Royal Challengers Bengaluru over the past two seasons, claiming three wickets.

In domestic cricket, Prema also played a key role in guiding Uttarakhand to the Senior Women's Championship title. She is regarded as a natural all-rounder who can contribute with the ball, bat, and in the field.

However, Shreyanka's absence is considered a significant loss for India. Apart from her exceptional fielding abilities, she has been a vital component of India's aggressive bowling strategy, particularly against left-handed batters and during the closing overs of an innings.

The replacement became official only after receiving approval from the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 Event Technical Committee, comprising representatives from the ICC and the tournament hosts.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar