3 reasons why India need not worry despite Shreyanka Patil being ruled out of Women's Asia Cup 2024
India's Shreyanka Patil has been ruled out of the Women's Asia Cup 2024 due to a fractured finger. According to a press release from the Asian Cricket Council, Shreyanka injured the fourth finger of her left hand during India's opening match against Pakistan on Friday, July 19.
The off-spinner had a sensational outing against Pakistan as she bowled 3.2 overs and picked up two wickets for 14 runs. With her variations, Shreyanka once again proved the X-factor that she brings to her side. Tanuja Kanwer has replaced the 21-year-old in the squad.
While it may seem that India will feel the pinch of missing Shreyanka Patil's services for the rest of the tournament, here are three reasons why the Women in Blue shouldn't be worried about it.
#1 It was a well-rounded bowling performance by India against Pakistan
Apart from Shreyanka Patil, the Women in Blue had other players who stepped up against Pakistan. Deepti Sharma was the pick of the bowlers with three wickets, conceding just 20 runs.
On the other hand, Renuka Singh and Pooja Vastrakar also made inroads with the new ball and ended up with a couple of wickets each. While Radha Yadav had an off-day and went wicketless, she is also a quality spinner who could come good on her day. Overall, they do have in-form wicket-taking options apart from Shreyanka.
#2 Quality backup in Asha Shobana and Tanuja Kanwer
India don't just have enough quality in their XI but also have a few top players on the bench, waiting for their opportunity. A stunning WPL 2024 season where Asha Shobana picked up 12 wickets in 10 matches for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru saw her break into the Indian team. She has played two ODIs and three T20Is, picking up four wickets. The Women in Blue would also have variety in their attack if they picked the leg-spinner.
Left-arm spinner Tanuja Kanwer has been called up as the replacement for Shreyanka Patil. Kanwer, too, had an impressive WPL season. In eight matches, she picked up 10 wickets for the Gujarat Giants at an economy rate of just 7.13. India can hand her a debut if needed, with good performances as proof of her pedigree.
#3 Part-time options
The Women in Blue also have part-time options in their line-up just in case they need someone to fill Shreyanka's void without adding an extra bowling option. The likes of Harmanpreet Kaur and Shafali Verma have shown their prowess with the ball and can chip in with overs when needed.