India batter Jemimah Rodrigues has been ruled out of The Hundred after picking up a hamstring injury, raising fresh concerns over her fitness for the Women’s Asia Cup later this month.
Southern Brave, her franchise in the English tournament, confirmed the setback on Saturday and named Australian allrounder Charli Knott as her replacement for the remainder of the competition.
Rodrigues’ Hundred Campaign Ends Early
Southern Brave signed Rodrigues as a direct pick for £60,000, roughly $80,000, and she quickly became one of the franchise’s most reliable performers this season. She scored 143 runs across six innings at an average of 35.75 and a strike rate of 131.19, with a highest score of 42 not out, and picked up two Player-of-the-Match awards along the way. Brave announced the news on X, wishing Rodrigues a swift recovery while confirming Knott’s arrival as her injury cover.
Her exit leaves a gap in a Brave squad that currently sits joint top of the standings on 20 points, level with Trent Rockets, who hold the edge on net run rate. The team still has two matches remaining to lock in automatic qualification for the final, against Manchester Super Giants and then Rockets.
Knott steps into a squad chasing a top finish, returning to the Utilita Bowl after previously playing for Brave during the 2024 edition. She arrives in strong form, having scored 404 runs and taken 27 wickets, the most in the competition, for The Blaze during their title-winning Vitality Blast campaign.
Asia Cup Timeline Adds Pressure On Recovery
The bigger concern for Rodrigues and India centers on the Women’s Asia Cup, which begins in the UAE on August 28. India open their campaign against Thailand in Dubai on August 30, giving Rodrigues just over three weeks to recover from the injury. The full extent of the damage has not been disclosed yet, and the decision to rest her now may simply be a precaution to protect her fitness ahead of the tournament rather than a sign of a long-term issue.
India will also face Hong Kong on September 3 before a high-profile clash against Pakistan on September 5 at the Dubai International Stadium. The team sits in Group A alongside Thailand, Hong Kong and Pakistan, while Group B features Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, UAE and Indonesia. The top two sides from each group advance to the semifinals, with the final scheduled for September 13.
Sri Lanka Enter As Defending Champions
Sri Lanka head into this year’s tournament as the reigning champions after defeating India in the 2024 final in Dambulla. Captain Chamari Athapaththu and Harshitha Samarawickrama both struck fifties, while Kavisha Dilhari’s all-round display helped Sri Lanka seal an eight-wicket win over the 2022 champions. India had entered that final as favorites, but Sri Lanka’s red-hot form, having lost only three of their previous 17 matches, made the result far from a shock.
With Rodrigues’ recovery timeline uncertain, India’s team management now faces a tense wait over her availability before naming their final squad for the tournament opener against Thailand.
For more sports news and updates, follow JeetWin Blog!
The post Jemimah Rodrigues Suffers Injury Blow Ahead of Asia Cup 2026 appeared first on JeetWin Blog.
