India’s women’s cricket team, under the leadership of Harmanpreet Kaur, faced a setback as off-spinner Shreyanka Patil was ruled out of the T20 Asia Cup 2024. The Asian Cricket Council confirmed in a statement on Saturday, July 20, that Patil will miss the remainder of the tournament due to a fractured finger sustained during the match against Pakistan on Friday, July 19. The injury occurred while attempting a catch during Pakistan’s innings at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium in Dambulla.
Despite the injury, the 21-year-old spinner managed to bowl 3.2 overs and was impactful, claiming two wickets for 14 runs in India’s tournament opener. Pakistan’s women’s team was dismissed for 108 runs in 19.2 overs, and India comfortably chased down the target in 14.2 overs with seven wickets in hand.
Earlier this year, Shreyanka suffered a hairline fracture on the same hand during the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2024. She returned at the end of the event after missing several RCB games. She took four wickets in the final to help RCB win the title. She earned the Purple Cap and Emerging Player of the Season.
Asian Cricket Council Issues Statement on Shreyanka Patil’s Injury
The Asian Cricket Council announced that Shreyanka Patil was ruled out of the Women’s Asia Cup due to an injury sustained while fielding against Pakistan. Tanuja Kanwar, the 26-year-old uncapped left-arm spinner from the Gujarat Giants in the WPL and Railways in domestic cricket, has been called up to replace Patil.
“Shreyanka Patil of India has been ruled out of the remainder of the Women’s Asia Cup after she sustained an injury while fielding during the team’s opening game of the tournament, against Pakistan, in Dambulla, Sri Lanka,” said the ACC in a statement on Saturday.
“In place of her, Tanuja Kanwer will join the team,” the Asian Cricket Council statement added.
Tanuja Kanwar, hailing from Himachal Pradesh, left a significant mark in the 2024 Women’s Premier League (WPL) with her impressive bowling performances. Throughout the tournament, she claimed 10 wickets in eight matches at an average of 20.70 and an economy rate of 7.13. Prior to this, Kanwar showcased her talent in the One Day Trophy final, where she took 3/26, finishing the competition with a total of 18 wickets at an outstanding average of 11.16.
Currently, India leads Group A in the ongoing tournament, captained by Harmanpreet Kaur. Their upcoming match against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in Dambulla on July 21 presents an opportunity to secure a spot in the semi-finals. The UAE team comes into this encounter following a defeat to Nepal by six wickets.
Meanwhile, Smriti Mandhana has been in exceptional form with the bat, recently registering back-to-back centuries in ODIs against South Africa. She also scored a century in the Test match against South Africa. In the match against Pakistan, Mandhana played a pivotal role, scoring 45 runs from 31 balls to contribute significantly to India’s performance.
