Shreyanka Patil makes a remarkable and crucial comeback in competitive cricket after repeated injuries and missed opportunities. The Indian all-rounder delivered a fearless cameo for Barbados Royals in the Women’s Caribbean Premier League (WCPL) 2025 final and sealed the Royals’ historic three-peat. She came to bat in a challenging moment of the game and faced the hat-trick delivery of Ashmini Munisar. However, her quick 10* runs off six balls helped the team chase 27 runs from just 16 balls.
The 21-year-old’s road to a comeback was not easy. For almost a year, her return was halted by injuries. Patil first fractured a finger against Pakistan in July 2024 during the Women’s Asia Cup. After that, Grade 3 shin splints, a stress reaction in her wrist, and a fractured thumb halted her comeback on the field. The setbacks were huge as they not only cost her several tournaments, including WPL 2025, but also ruled her out of India’s ODI World Cup squad.
“It was difficult to face my parents, especially my dad,” Patil recalled on her time away due to injury. “I didn’t know how to communicate with my close ones. I was kind of blank.” Patil said to Fan Code.
Shreyanka Patil, despite all the difficulties, focused on rehab. She worked hard at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. Patil even shared the stories of other Indian cricketers like Suryakumar Yadav, who was recovering from a hernia surgery, motivated her and asked her to be patient and keep doing her thing.
Patil’s patience paid off, and she was signed by the Barbados Royals for WCPL 2025. She grabbed the headlines while playing for Guyana Amazon Warriors and becoming the leading wicket-taker in the tournament in 2023, her maiden stint, featuring as the first-ever Indian in the WCPL.
This season, she took some match time to get back to her bowling rhythm. Her highlight moment came in the finals as she smashed back-to-back reverse hits under pressure, scoring vital runs. Her partnership, along with Aaliyah Alleyne’s finishing blows, defined the victory for Barbados Royals.
Shreyanka Patil’s comeback in WCPL 2025 was not just significant to her team but also to her. It was the culmination of all the hard work, patience and unwavering belief. After enduring fractures, stress injuries, and the heartbreak of missing India’s World Cup squad, she will now be looking to reignite her hunger to win matches for the team. Her cameo in the final is a symbol of redemption. She reminded the cricketing world that setbacks may delay dreams, but they cannot diminish true talent and passion.
