'Kept showing up': Yastika Bhatia after shining on WT20I return
What's the story
Yastika Bhatia, the Indian women's cricket team top-order batter, made a stunning comeback after her long injury layoff. She scored a half-century in her first Women's T20I match in more than two years, leading India to victory in the opening game against England in Chelmsford. Her performance was even more impressive considering she had undergone knee surgery last October and was coming off a lengthy rehabilitation process.
Recovery
Yastika's recovery journey
Yastika's return to cricket was a long and arduous process. After her ACL surgery in October 2025, she had to go through an extensive rehabilitation phase. "Those who undergo ACL surgery, the whole muscle of that leg goes away. We have to build everything from scratch," Yastika said, describing the challenges of her recovery journey.
Match performance
A stellar comeback match
In her comeback match, Yastika batted at No. 3 and scored a quickfire 54 runs off 40 balls—her maiden WT20I fifty. This was after her team was reduced to 7/2. She formed a solid third-wicket partnership of 126 runs with Jemimah Rodrigues, who scored an impressive 69 off just 40 balls. Their partnership helped India post a competitive total of 188/7 in the absence of Harmanpreet Kaur. The visitors later won by 38 runs.
Gratitude
Gratitude for the support received
After her innings, Yastika expressed her gratitude for the support she received during her recovery. "I've been coming back after a long time and the team has welcomed me very nicely," she said. "In the injury time, it's not easy, but there were people backing me. I'm very grateful to all of those who were behind me at that time."
Resilience
A determination to overcome challenges
Yastika also spoke about her determination to return to cricket despite the challenges. "Because of the support, I just kept on going, kept showing up," she said. She thanked her teammates and staff for their constant encouragement during her recovery process. "Jemi and all the team were in touch with me... staff, team management, and so I'm very grateful for all their support," Yastika added.