Leeds, June 17 (IANS) India have suffered a huge scare in their 2026 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup campaign when off-spin bowling all‑rounder Shreyanka Patil was stretchered off the field after twisting her right ankle during the ongoing Group A match against the Netherlands at Headingley in Leeds on Wednesday.

The incident occurred on the first ball of the sixth over of the Netherlands innings when Shreyanka, having just come in to bowl, chased a ball towards mid‑on, but went down on the field after twisting her right ankle. She immediately clutched her ankle and winced in pain, with teammates rushing to aid her.

The Indian team medical staff attended to her on the field before she was stretchered off, with Shreyanka looking visibly distressed and covering her face. The injury looks very serious, considering Shreyanka was unable to put any weight on the injured ankle when she tried to get up from the ground.

Shafali Verma then came in to complete the remainder of the sixth over. The injury is particularly worrying given Shreyanka’s previous record of dealing with setbacks. She had previously spent many months on the sidelines – she fractured a finger during the Women’s T20 Asia Cup in Sri Lanka in July 2024.

After playing in the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup in the UAE, Shreyanka had shin issues in both legs and fractured her left thumb while fielding, before she made her comeback in the 2025 Women’s CPL in the West Indies.

Earlier this year, in the 2026 WPL, she was a member of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) team, winning the title. On her return to international cricket, Shreyanka openly spoke about the mental toll of repeated injuries and admitted to battling thoughts of giving up the game altogether, but credited her family and support system for keeping her motivated.

India’s management is yet to issue an official update on the extent of her injury, but the sight of Shreyanka being stretchered off is a significant blow to India’s balance. With her ability to bowl in the powerplay and being a livewire on the field, Shreyanka’s potential absence could force India to rethink their combinations for the remainder of the group stage.

–IANS

nr/bsk/