Opener Pratika Rawal was not named in India’s playing XI for the Women’s Asia Cup 2026 final against Sri Lanka at the Dubai International Stadium on Sunday.
India captain Harmanpreet Kaur said at the toss that the Delhi batter was rested, with young wicketkeeper-batter G. Kamalini coming into the lineup.
Pratika, who had come into India’s Asia Cup squad as an injury replacement for Jemimah Rodrigues, had featured in all of India’s matches thus far in the tournament.
Pratika made her debut in the format in the opening fixture against Thailand but has struggled to convert starts coming at No.3. In four games so far, she has scored 22, 10, 4 and 20.
Eighteen-year-old Kamalini made her debut for India in the T20I series against Sri Lanka late last year. She featured in the final game, opening with Shafali Verma and scored a run-a-ball 12.
She has since been around the A setup and will play only her second T20I when India takes the field against Sri Lanka in the summit clash of the Women’s Asia Cup. Kamalini is known for her aggressive scoring and penchant for big hits, but her keeping still has a long way to go before she can topple Richa Ghosh for that keeper’s spot in the senior team.
Kamalini plays for Mumbai Indians in the Women’s Premier League. She broke onto the scene with stellar performances for Tamil Nadu in the domestic circuit. That propelled her to the U19 team where she played a crucial role in India winning its second U19 World Cup on the trot.
The youngster came in at No. 7 during the penultimate over and scored 11 off five, which included a six on the last ball of the innings.
Published on Sep 13, 2026
