By Zainab Shafiq 
In a setback to their Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2025 seasons, Mumbai Indians (MI) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have had to make key changes to their teams owing to injuries. MI seam-bowling allrounder Pooja Vastrakar and RCB legspinner Asha Sobhana both have been ruled out of the tournament.
MI and RCB name replacement for WPL 2025
Replacing Vastrakar is left-arm fingerspinner Parunika Sisodia, fresh from a stellar performance at the Under-19 World Cup in Malaysia, where she claimed five wickets across the semi-final and final to help India secure back-to-back championships. Despite not being a like-for-like replacement, her impressive form brings hope to MI’s camp. Head coach Charlotte Edwards previously identified Vastrakar as crucial, describing her as a “big player” for the side, and Sisodia must now plug that gap.
RCB, already struggling with fitness problems with top players Shreyanka Patil and Ellyse Perry, will replace Asha Sobhana with veteran wicketkeeper-batter Nuzhat Parween. Asha was instrumental in RCB’s title triumph last season, claiming 12 wickets from 10 games at an economy rate of 7.11. Parween, who has represented India in five T20Is, will be the back-up to Richa Ghosh. She has experience in the Senior Women’s T20 Trophy, where she made 134 runs at a strike rate of 101.51 for Railways.
Akshita Maheshwari, Rajasthan’s seam-bowling allrounder, might have been another candidate for MI as a closer alternative to Vastrakar. Maheshwari was impressive in last season’s Under-23 Women’s One Day Trophy with 23 wickets and two hat-tricks and is a rising star to watch.
The WPL 2025 season begins on February 14, with former champions RCB to play their first match against Gujarat Giants at Vadodara. Both Gujarat Giants and the RCB would be under tight pressure to adapt to their new line-ups if they want another successful season.