Pooja Vastrakar ruled out for two weeks with hamstring injury in WPL 2026

Pooja Vastrakar, the pace all-rounder of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, was ruled out of action for a period of two weeks because of her hamstring injury, RCB Head Coach Malolan Rangarajan confirmed on Friday, January 9, after their first match of the tournament against the Mumbai Indians.

WPL 2026 Injury Update: Pooja Vastrakar & Hayley Matthews Sidelines Impact Early Season

Pooja Vastrakar was not selection-worthy [against Mumbai Indians],” Malolan said after RCB’s first match of WPL 2026. "Two weeks before she was released by us from our CoE [Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru], she unfortunately strained her hamstring. The information we have is that she'll be staying there for another two weeks. Previously, she was there [at the CoE] due to a shoulder problem; now this is a case of a strained hamstring. Every week is a process. Let’s see how she fares."

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Pooja Vastrakar Bowling All-rounder

Pooja Vastrakar is an Indian all-format cricketer who plays as a right-arm medium-fast bowler and a powerful lower-order, right-handed batter.

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Royal Challengers Bengaluru Women Founded: 2023

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) Women is a professional cricket team in the Women's Premier League (WPL).

RCB kickstarted the WPL 2026 season in thrilling fashion, beating Mumbai Indians on the last ball, thanks to Nadine de Klerk’s 44-ball 63* which got them home with three wickets to spare.

"Pooja (Vastrakar) was supposed to be relieved by third week of December from COE after her shoulder rehab but couple of days earlier to that, she tweaked her hamstring. Now so she will join us after couple of weeks hopefully"

Malolan (Head coach) on Pooja's availability 🎙️ pic.twitter.com/mEMEtDchkz

— RCB Xtra (@Rcb_Xtra) January 9, 2026

Earlier in the day, all-rounder Hayley Matthews was also ruled out to take the field for the Mumbai Indians as she is recovering from a shoulder injury, as has been confirmed by head coach Lisa Keightley.

"Unfortunately, her shoulder isn't good. She did have a slight strain during training and she is very close to playing. Tonight was perhaps a fraction too close for her to play. Tomorrow we'll see how she pulls up and how she'll be for the game tomorrow. But she is very close."

After their narrow loss in their first match in the tournament, the defending team is scheduled to face the Delhi Capitals this Saturday at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai.

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by mishaalmubarak January 10, 2026