### Major Injury Blow for India as Pratika Rawal Ruled Out of Women's World Cup Semifinal India's hopes in the ICC Women's World Cup 2025 have taken a significant hit with the news that star opener Pratika Rawal has been ruled out of the tournament due to a serious ankle injury. Rawal sustained the injury while fielding during a rain-affected match against Bangladesh, where she overran and fell while attempting to stop a ball. This unfortunate incident occurred just before India's crucial semifinal clash against Australia, raising concerns about the team's performance without one of its key players. Rawal had been in exceptional form throughout the tournament, making her absence even more impactful for the Indian squad [https://www.newindianexpress.com/sport/2025/Oct/27/injury-blow-for-india-before-semifinal-rawal-to-be-ruled-out-of-world-cup, https://www.republicworld.com/cricket/huge-setback-for-india-ahead-of-ind-vs-aus-womens-world-cup-semi-final-pratika-rawal-ruled-out-prior-to-knockout-clash]. ### Breakdown of the Situation and Team Adjustments 1. **Injury Details**: - Pratika Rawal suffered a severe ankle sprain while fielding, which has led to her being ruled out of the World Cup [https://www.hindustantimes.com/cricket/pratika-rawal-ruled-out-of-womens-world-cup-as-india-dealt-body-blow-ahead-of-semis-shafali-verma-named-replacement-101761561699132.html]. - The injury occurred during the final league match against Bangladesh, where she was attempting to stop a boundary [https://www.indianexpress.com/article/sports/cricket/womens-odi-world-cup-2025-pratika-rawal-miss-india-vs-ausralia-semifinal-10329498]. 2. **Impact on Team**: - Rawal was the second-highest run-scorer for India in the tournament, with 308 runs at an average of 51.33 [https://www.insidesport.in/cricket/situation-dire-for-team-india-as-pratika-rawal-ruled-out-of-womens-world-cup-2025]. - Her absence is expected to significantly affect India's batting lineup and overall strategy against Australia in the semifinals [https://www.bhaskarenglish.in/sports/cricket/news/pratika-rawal-injury-womens-odi-world-cup-2025-india-vs-bangladesh-semi-final-participation-in-doubt-136265581.html]. 3. **Replacement**: - Shafali Verma has been named as Rawal's replacement in the squad, which could bring a different dynamic to the team [https://www.socialnews.xyz/2025/10/27/womens-world-cup-shafali-verma-replaces-injured-pratika-rawal-in-indias-squad]. - The decision to promote Verma comes as a strategic move to bolster the batting order in light of Rawal's absence [https://www.hindustantimes.com/cricket/pratika-rawal-ruled-out-of-womens-world-cup-as-india-dealt-body-blow-ahead-of-semis-shafali-verma-named-replacement-101761561699132.html]. ### Supporting Evidence and Data - **Player Performance**: - Pratika Rawal had scored 122 runs against New Zealand earlier in the tournament, showcasing her vital role in the team's success [https://www.insidesport.in/cricket/situation-dire-for-team-india-as-pratika-rawal-ruled-out-of-womens-world-cup-2025]. - Her overall contribution included being the second-highest run-scorer in the tournament, which underscores her importance to the team [https://www.bhaskarlive.in/womens-world-cup-pratika-rawals-injury-a-major-concern-ahead-of-semis-as-bangla-match-abandoned]. ### Conclusion: A Critical Moment for India in the World Cup 1. **Injury Impact**: Pratika Rawal's injury is a significant setback for India, as she was a key player in their World Cup campaign. 2. **Team Adjustments**: The inclusion of Shafali Verma as a replacement aims to mitigate the loss, but the team will need to adapt quickly to maintain their competitive edge. 3. **Future Outlook**: As India prepares for the semifinal against Australia, the focus will be on how well they can adjust their strategy and lineup in the absence of Rawal, who had been instrumental in their journey thus far [https://www.hindustantimes.com/cricket/pratika-rawal-ruled-out-of-womens-world-cup-as-india-dealt-body-blow-ahead-of-semis-shafali-verma-named-replacement-101761561699132.html, https://www.newindianexpress.com/sport/2025/Oct/27/injury-blow-for-india-before-semifinal-rawal-to-be-ruled-out-of-world-cup].