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Former India captain Mithali Raj suggests that Harleen Deol could be promoted to the opening slot in India’s semifinal clash against Australia on Thursday if opener Pratika Rawal does not recover from her ankle injury in time. India faced a major setback when Rawal twisted her right ankle while fielding at deep midwicket during the match against Bangladesh on Sunday. Her foot got stuck on the damp outfield at the DY Patil Stadium, leading to the injury. “The question now is who opens with Smriti if Pratika isn’t fit to take the field on the 30th. The first option could be promoting number three, Harleen, since she’s often walked in early and is comfortable facing the new ball,” Mithali was quoted as saying on JioStar. With Rawal nursing her injury, India experimented by sending all-rounder Amanjot Kaur to open the innings against Bangladesh, a move that left Mithali puzzled. She felt this was an ideal opportunity for Harleen to establish a partnership with Smriti Mandhana. “Ideally, today (Sunday) was a great opportunity for Harleen to open and build that equation with Smriti, assuming Pratika might not be available. If Pratika is fit, the same batting line-up continues.” “But sending Amanjot to open was something I didn’t quite understand. Yes, she needed some time out in the middle, but perhaps she could’ve slotted in at number three instead of opening,” she added. Rawal, 25, has been in stellar form throughout the tournament, amassing 308 runs from six innings at an average of 51.33, including a century. Mithali also suggested an alternative in wicketkeeper-batter Uma Chetry, who replaced Richa Ghosh against Bangladesh. However, her inclusion in the semifinal XI could depend on team balance. “The other option is Uma Chetry, but if Richa Ghosh returns as wicketkeeper, then Uma might sit out.” Pratika Rawal Injury Update As per reports, Pratika was taken to a hospital for scans after the match. “An official word is yet to come, but from the initial looks, it doesn’t look like she will play the semis. With the kind of injury she had yesterday, it’s extremely difficult to get ready for such a crucial game in three days. It won’t be a surprise if she’s even ruled out of the rest of the World Cup,” said sources aware of the development to IANS on Monday. (With inputs from Agencies)
