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Injured Pratika Rawal ruled out of the World Cup

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Pratika Rawal being tended to by the Indian team's medical staff [Cricbuzz]

India opener Pratika Rawal has been ruled out of the ongoing ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 after sustaining an injury against Bangladesh in the tournament’s last league game on Sunday (October 26).

Rawal slipped and fell awkwardly in the field while fielding near the boundary ropes in the rain-affected match at the DY Patil stadium in Navi Mumbai. Wincing in pain, she was helped off the field by the team’s support staff and did not return for the remainder of India’s bowling innings or to open the chase in the game that was eventually abandoned
After the game was called off, the 25-year-old underwent scans and at the time of reporting was scheduled to meet with an independent doctor for her official reports.
It is a significant blow to India ahead of their semifinal clash against Australia at the same venue on Thursday (October 30). Rawal, who debuted for India in December 2024, has had a stellar first year in international cricket. She hit her maiden World Cup century in the previous game against New Zealand, at the same venue. In the process, she also became the joint-fastest to 1000 runs in women’s ODIs and was on the verge of becoming only the second player to aggregate 1000 runs in a calendar year.
India are also sweating on the fitness of keeper-bat Richa Ghosh, who sustained a blow to her finger in the New Zealand game and was subsequently rested for the Bangladesh game, leading to a debut for backup ‘keeper Uma Chetry.
The inconsequential last game in Navi Mumbai was severely hampered by rain with the first spell, around toss time, causing a two-hour delay in start to the 43-overs-a-side game. The second rain interruption happened merely 12.2 overs into Bangladesh’s innings, for 2.5 hours and reducing the innings to 27 overs per side.
While the ground boasts of a good drainage system, only the main square and the extended areas at the either ends of the wicket had been covered at both rain breaks, leading to significant puddles on unprotected parts of both offside and inside field. Rawal fell while running towards deep mid-wicket when her right foot felt stuck in the turf as she tried to turn back after overrunning to save an eventual boundary.

[Cricbuzz]



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Former first lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa arrested by CIABOC

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Former first lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa, wife of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa was  produced before the Hulftsdorp court, after  being  arrested by officers of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) and produce

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Smriti Mandhana appointed India captain across formats

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Smriti Mandhana looks on in the field [Cricinfo]

Smriti Mandhana has been named India’s all-format women’s captain on the same day Harmanpreet Kaur stepped down from the role after nearly a decade since she first took over.

Mandhana – vice-captain to Harmanpreet for much of this period – has previously led India in four ODIs and 18 T20Is, apart from captaining Maharashtra in domestic cricket and Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the Women’s Premier League.

Mandhana’s first assignment will be the limited-overs series against Zimbabwe beginning with the three T20Is in Raipur from October 16. On Tuesday, Mandhana was part of the selection meeting chaired by Amita Sharma to pick the squad for the tour.

Terming the appointment a “special honour”, Mandhana also acknowledged the contributions of her predecessor in her welcome note.

“I would also like to acknowledge Harmanpreet and the contribution she has made as captain over the years,” she was quoted as saying by the BCCI. “She has led the team with great commitment and has been an important part of our journey.

“I understand the responsibility that comes with this role and look forward to working with the team, learning along the way and giving my best to take Indian cricket forward.”

Mandhana’s appointment comes on the back of a review meeting held on Monday in Guwahati. Chaired by secretary Devajit Saikia, the meeting was also attended by Mandhana, Harmanpreet and head coach Amol Muzumdar to chart a roadmap forward, with an eye on next year’s inaugural Women’s Champions Trophy in February as well as the T20 World Cup and Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.

Mandhana, India’s best all-format batter, has been knocking on the doors for a while. Earlier this year, she led RCB to their second WPL title, in which she also top-scored in the final.

In September, she overtook Mithali Raj to become the leading run-scorer in women’s international across formats. Her 18 international hundreds are also the most in women’s cricket. She is also the first Indian woman to score centuries in all formats.

[Cricinfo]

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Ronaldo apologizes for Portugal walkout; says Jesus broke promise

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Cristiano Ronaldo is Portugal's leading scorer (Aljazeera)

Cristiano Ronaldo has accused Portugal ‌coach Jorge Jesus of twice breaking his word, saying a failed agreement to publicly ⁠explain his omission ⁠against Norway drove him out of the camp, but insisting he remained available after any punishment.

In a lengthy statement, the 41-year-old gave his account of the dispute ⁠that prompted his departure  from Copenhagen before Portugal’s Nations League match versus Denmark last week.

Ronaldo said Jesus had agreed a plan under which the forward would miss the Norway and Denmark ⁠matches to manage his fitness. However, on the day of the Norway game, the coach told him he would play for 30 minutes.

“Everyone knows the rest. I warmed up from halftime onwards, watched the minutes tick by and wasn’t called on,” Ronaldo said.

“The manager had broken his word to me.”

Portugal’s ‌captain and all-time leading scorer said a subsequent meeting with Jesus, attended by his club side Al Nassr’s sporting director Simao Coutinho, produced an agreement for the coach to clarify events at his next news conference.

According to Ronaldo, an eight-point document was prepared saying he had never demanded playing time, had respected Jesus’s decisions and that the coach asking him to warm up without bringing him on had been a mistake.

Ronaldo said the agreed notes did ⁠not require Jesus to apologise to him but said the coach’s ⁠public remarks bore no resemblance to their private discussion.

“It was the second time he had broken his word to me,” Ronaldo said. “I decided to leave the training camp without waiting for any further broken promises.”

The statement provided Ronaldo’s account⁠, but on Sunday, after Portugal’s win over Norway, Jesus denied he had made any agreement with the player, nevertheless leaving the door open  ⁠for his return.

The Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) did not immediately respond ⁠to a request for comment about Ronaldo’s statement.

Ronaldo apologised for failing to greet supporters after the Norway match and for leaving his teammates,  accepting that his captaincy made his conduct more serious.

“The consequences of my actions must be assessed ‌and punished by the Portuguese Football Federation,” he said.

Despite the rupture, Ronaldo said he was not limiting his international ambitions to a farewell appearance.

“If I’m physically fit, playing for my club – scoring ‌goals, ‌I hope – after serving whatever suspension is imposed on me, I’ll be available, as I’ve always been until now, to compete and win for our national team,” he added.

(Aljazeera)

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