India have named Shafali Verma as a replacement for Pratika Rawal, who has been ruled out of the ongoing ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 due to an ankle injury, the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced on Sunday.
Rawal sustained the injury during India’s final group-stage match against Bangladesh in Navi Mumbai after twisting her ankle while fielding. She did not come out to bat in the rain-curtailed chase that was eventually abandoned, the ICC reported.
The 25-year-old batter has been one of India’s standout performers in the tournament, amassing 308 runs in six innings at an impressive average of 51.33—second only to Smriti Mandhana, who tops the list with 365 runs. Since making her international debut in December 2024, Rawal has accumulated 703 runs in 14 innings at an average of 54.07.
Her match-winning knock against New Zealand in the penultimate group fixture was instrumental in securing India’s berth in the semifinals.
Shafali Verma, 21, who last featured in an ODI a year ago, was not part of the original World Cup squad. However, she has recently rediscovered her form, finishing as the second-highest run-scorer in the T20I series against England earlier this year and following it up with a half-century for India A during their 50-over tour of Australia.
