Jemimah Rodrigues sustained a right hamstring injury on August 3 while competing for her team in The Hundred in England, which has prevented her from competing in the ACC Women’s Asia Cup 2026 and the Asian Games in Japan. Her participation in both competitions was discontinued when the BCCI Medical Team performed a clinical assessment at the Center of Excellence in Bengaluru after she returned to India and verified the diagnosis of a high-grade tear.
Pratika Rawal has been included to India’s 15-person team for the Asia Cup by the Women’s Selection Committee. Smriti Mandhana will remain vice-captain, and Harmanpreet Kaur will lead the team.
The matches for the ACC Women’s Asia Cup 2026 will be held at Dubai International Stadium in the United Arab Emirates from August 28 to September 13. The competition is in its tenth year, and this is the sixth time it has been played in the T20 format. On August 30, India will play their first group stage match against Thailand. On September 5, they will play Pakistan in a highly anticipated Group A match.
What is the severity of Jemimah Rodrigues’ hamstring injury?
Rodrigues was injured on August 3 while serving in The Hundred in England. When she returned to India, the BCCI Medical Team at the Center of Excellence in Bengaluru performed a comprehensive clinical evaluation that revealed a high-grade rupture of the right hamstring.
She was disqualified from both the Women’s Asia Cup in the United Arab Emirates and the women’s cricket category at the Asian Games, which are set to take place in Japan from September 17 to September 24. At this point, no definitive return date has been given.
What does India’s Asia Cup campaign stand to gain from Pratika Rawal’s call-up?
In what is still an experienced India team, Rawal’s presence addresses the batting void left by Rodrigues. Harmanpreet is still in charge of the squad, with Mandhana serving as her deputy. With Sri Lanka defeating them in the final to win the championship and become the reigning champions going into this tournament, India will be trying to improve on their 2024 performance.
The UAE competition is also crucial for the team’s preparation for the multi-sport event in Japan, as the Asian Games are just a few days after the Asia Cup final on September 13.
The complete Indian women’s team for the 2026 ACC Women’s Asia Cup (Updated)
Harmanpreet Kaur (C), Smriti Mandhana (VC), Shafali Verma, Bharti Fulmali, Deepti Sharma, Richa Ghosh (WK), G. Kamalini (WK), Arundhati Reddy, Prema Rawat, Radha Yadav, Sree Charani, Renuka Thakur, Nandni Sharma, Kranti Gaud, and Pratika Rawal
