RCB Faces Major Injury Blow In WPL 2025; Report Reveals Potential Replacement
Published - 15 Feb 2025, 01:54 PM | Updated - 20 Feb 2025, 11:57 PM
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The start of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) in the 2025 season was fantastic for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). The defending champions didn’t sweat much in their 202-run chase in the opening clash of the tournament’s third season.
Injuries are common in the game, but not as much as the Bengaluru franchise suffered. They had already lost the opening batter, Sophie Devine, who decided to take a mental break from the game to prioritize her well-being.
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Sophie Molineux, the team’s joint second leading wicket-taker in the WPL 2024 alongside Asha Sobhana, has pulled out of the season after she picked up a knee injury during the recent Women’s Ashes. The Indian leg-spinner Sobhana is also not available for the season, as he failed to recover in their title defense.
Shreyanka Patil to miss the WPL 2025 campaign for RCB
In the previous season of the league, Shreyanka Patil finished as the Emerging Player. She ended with the most wickets in 2024, thanks to 13 wickets in eight innings at an average of 12.07 and a strike rate of 9.9, besides an economy rate of 8.51 with the best bowling figure of 4/12 in an inning.
Patil has spent her time at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) since her return from the T20 World Cup 2024 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Both Subhana and Shreyanka missed India’s three-match ODI series against Australia down under and the home season against West Indies and Ireland.
Recent reports have claimed that the off-spinner is likely to be ruled out of the entire season owing to the injury. Patil was in many of RCB’s social media posts leading up to the competition. But the spinner took to social media earlier on February 14 and shared a post that hinted at his long layoff from the game.
“Heartbroken, but I will fly again.” Wrote Shreyanka on her X handle. She picked up four wickets in the final against Delhi Capitals in last year’s event at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.
Sneh Rana likely to join RCB for WPL 2025
The unsold all-rounder of the Indian side, Sneh Rana, could come as the frontrunner to replace Patil if the franchise decides to buy a player for the rest of the season. The 30-year-old off-spinner has enjoyed 29 wickets in 27 ODIs at an average of 34.44 and a strike rate of 44.6 with an economy of 4.62.
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In 25 T20Is, the Dehradun-born has claimed 24 scalps in 25 innings at an average of 21.75 and a strike rate of 21 with an economy rate of 6.21, thanks to the best bowling figure of 3/9. Gujarat Giants (GG) decided to drop her from the squad after two poor seasons where he collected six wickets in 11 innings at an average of 52.16 and an economy rate of 9.20.
RCB starts its third campaign with a cracking victory
The absence of the start bowlers from the franchise was a huge blow for the RCB side. As a result, they leaked 201/5 in the first innings against the Giants. The opposition captain, Ashleigh Gardner, smashed an unbeaten 79 runs in 37 deliveries at a strike rate of 213.51.
Losing skipper Mandhana in the second over wasn’t an ideal start for the RCB side. But Ellyse Perry’s 57-run knock in 34 balls kept them in the hunt before India’s young wicket-keeper batter, Richa Ghosh, thumped 64 runs in 27 balls shouldering on seven boundaries and four sixes to carry them over the line. Kanika Ahuja also contributed with unbeaten 30 runs in just 13 balls.
