Pratika Rawal Named India's Replacement for Injured Jemimah Rodrigues in Asia Cup Squad

The BCCI has confirmed Pratika Rawal as the replacement for the injured Jemimah Rodrigues in India's squad for the ACC Women's Asia Cup 2026, following the news that Rodrigues would miss the tournament with a high-grade right hamstring tear.

Rodrigues sustained the injury on August 3 while playing for Southern Brave in The Hundred in England, and a subsequent clinical assessment at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru confirmed she would be sidelined for an extended period, ruling her out of both the Asia Cup and the Asian Games in Japan. Rawal now steps in for the continental event, earning her maiden T20I call-up after previously representing India only in ODIs and Tests, including as part of the side's triumphant 2025 Women's ODI World Cup campaign before an ankle injury forced her out ahead of the semi-final.

Rawal was in the middle of a stint with Warwickshire Bears in the Women's One Day Cup in England when the call-up came through, and will now link up with the squad for the tournament in the UAE. Separately, wicketkeeper-batter G Kamalini has been added to India's Asian Games squad as a replacement for Yastika Bhatia, continuing as backup gloveperson behind Richa Ghosh.

India's Asia Cup squad continues to be led by Harmanpreet Kaur, with Smriti Mandhana as vice-captain. The defending champions begin their campaign against Thailand on August 30, before facing Hong Kong on September 3 and old rivals Pakistan in the standout group fixture on September 5, with the tournament running in Dubai from August 28 through to the September 13 final.