Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women’s bowling all-rounder, Pooja Vastrakar, will miss the first two weeks of the Women’s Premier League 2026
after picking up yet another injury. The Bengaluru-based franchise hasn’t named a replacement for the cricketer yet.
The team’s head coach Malolan Rangarajan confirmed the news on Friday, following their opening game of the tournament against the Mumbai Indians. He stated that Vastrakar’s injury occurred shortly before she was due to be released from the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence(CoE) in Bengaluru, where she was undergoing her rehabilitation, recovering from a previous shoulder injury. The side remains optimistic of her comeback, though.
“I think two days prior to her release from the [BCCI’s Centre of Excellence], she unfortunately tweaked her hamstring. The information we have at the moment is that she’s going to [need] two weeks more. It’s a hamstring issue. She was there for her shoulder [injury] and now it’s a hamstring issue. So it’s a week-by-week process. So let’s see where she’s at,” said Rangarajan at the post-match press conference as quoted by.
Once promised to be a potential successor to Jhulan Goswami, the 26-year-old speedster has been struggling with a string of injuries for the past two years. She has not played a competitive game since the 2024 T20 World Cup, missing marquee events, including the WPL and the ODI World Cup in 2025. The untimely injury to the Madhya Pradesh player is a big blow to the RCB’s plans, as she offers a valuable pace option and crucial runs down the order.
RCB kicks off their campaign with a thrilling win
Meanwhile, the 2024 champions kicked off their campaign by defeating the defending champions, Mumbai Indians Women, in a last-ball thriller. Needing 18 runs off the final over, Nadine de Klerk delivered a masterclass, helping her team win the contest. She was deservedly named Player of the Match for her outstanding all-round performance. She scored 63* off 44 balls while also picking up four wickets. The side will now face UP Warriorz on Monday, January 12.
India
