India’s Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 journey took a tough blow when all-rounder Shreyanka Patil was sidelined due to an ankle ligament injury.

The 23-year-old, known for her off-spin bowling and all-round capabilities, shared a heartfelt message on social media after her World Cup aspirations were cut short "Well, not every dream comes true easy but this one has hit the hardest... I'm overwhelmed by the love I have received. I'm not going to stop dreaming! And like I said last year, 'heartbroken, but will fly again."

Patil expressed, thanking her fans for their unwavering support and vowing to come back even stronger. The injury happened during India’s Group A match against the Netherlands at Headingley, where Patil twisted her right ankle while trying to stop a run just after she had taken the ball. She fell to the ground in pain and needed help to leave the field. This setback was especially tough for her, as she had only recently made her return to international cricket following a long rehabilitation period. At that moment, India was in a strong position, having set a score of 209/5, while the Netherlands was struggling at 41/0 in their chase.

Subsequent scans revealed a torn ankle ligament, which meant Patil would miss the rest of the tournament and face an estimated recovery time of about three months. In light of this, the ICC Event Technical Committee has approved 24-year-old leg-spinner Prema Rawat as her replacement. Rawat, who is yet to make her senior international debut, joins the squad after impressing with her performances for India A and in the Women’s Asia Cup Rising Stars tournament, where she took eight wickets in five matches.

India Off to Perfect Start But Tougher Challenges Await

India has kicked off its T20 World Cup journey in style, clinching victories in both of its opening matches and soaring to the top of Group A with four points and an impressive net run rate of +3.975. Harmanpreet Kaur’s team triumphed over Pakistan by 64 runs and then followed it up with a commanding 95-run win against the Netherlands. Smriti Mandhana has been the star of the batting lineup, scoring 68 and 74 runs, while Shafali Verma made a strong comeback with a brisk 55 against the Dutch. Additionally, Deepti Sharma and Shree Charani have played vital roles with the ball, adding to the team's success.

India is now stepping into the toughest part of the group stage. South Africa, currently sitting just behind India in the standings, is set to put the team's abilities to the test. The Proteas recently handed India a 4-1 defeat in a bilateral T20I series and are still very much in the hunt for a semi-final spot. Following that, India will face off against Australia, the six-time champions and a long-standing rival in World Cup history. With both teams still unbeaten, their showdown at Lord’s on June 28 is anticipated to be crucial in determining the Group A winner and paving the way to the knockout rounds.