Navi Mumbai, Jan 10 (NationPress) Malolan Rangarajan, the head coach of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), disclosed that Pooja Vastrakar has suffered a hamstring injury, rendering her unavailable for selection in the team’s inaugural match of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 against the Mumbai Indians (MI) on Friday. He further indicated that the fast bowler would be sidelined for a minimum of two weeks.

Despite Vastrakar's absence, RCB triumphed in a thrilling match against the defending champions, Mumbai Indians, with Nadine de Klerk shining with an undefeated half-century at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on Friday night.

Coach Rangarajan reiterated that Vastrakar would be unavailable for at least two more weeks.

The left-arm pacer, who previously played for MI in the last three editions of the tournament, was acquired by RCB during the mega-auction ahead of the fourth season. However, Rangarajan pointed out that she sustained her hamstring injury just days before her release from the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (CoE), where she had been rehabilitating for a shoulder injury, thus ruling her out for the subsequent two weeks of the tournament.

“Pooja Vastrakar is not available for selection. Unfortunately, she tweaked her hamstring just two days before her release from the CoE. The latest update we have is that she will be sidelined for two more weeks due to this hamstring issue. She was already recovering from her shoulder injury, and now this hamstring problem has emerged. We are monitoring her progress week by week,” Rangarajan informed the media following their WPL opener against MI.

In November, when RCB signed Vastrakar for INR 85 lakh, Rangarajan noted that her presence would bring significant changes to RCB’s team combinations. Vastrakar's injury during the auction had positioned the WPL as a key opportunity for her comeback, following her last competitive match in the T20 World Cup in October 2024.

In her absence, RCB entrusted the new ball to another recent acquisition, England's left-arm spinner Linsey Smith, who bowled a commendable two-over spell for 23 runs. Furthermore, a debut was made by Arundhati Reddy, who recorded figures of 4-0-37-0. The standout performance came from a familiar face in RCB’s 2024 title-winning campaign, as all-rounder Nadine de Klerk achieved a rare double, becoming only the second player in WPL history to score a half-century and take a four-wicket haul in the same match.

RCB is set to return to action on Monday, going up against the UP Warriorz at the same venue.