Pooja Vastrakar, the prominent Indian all-rounder and a key player for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), has been ruled out of the initial two weeks of the Women's Premier League (WPL) 2026 season due to a hamstring injury. The setback was confirmed by RCB head coach Malolan Rangarajan following the team's opening match against Mumbai Indians on January 9, 2026. Vastrakar, who was acquired by RCB for INR 85 lakh, sustained the hamstring tweak just two days before her anticipated release from the BCCI's Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru. She had been undergoing rehabilitation at the CoE for a prior shoulder injury, making this a fresh blow to her return to competitive cricket. Rangarajan stated that her recovery will be assessed on a week-by-week basis, with hopes of her joining the squad after the initial two-week period. This untimely injury means Vastrakar will miss crucial early fixtures for RCB in the WPL 2026. The 26-year-old pacer's absence is considered a significant blow to RCB's combination and plans, particularly as she last played a competitive game in the T20 World Cup in October 2024 and the WPL was anticipated to mark her comeback. Despite this setback, RCB began their campaign with a thrilling victory over defending champions Mumbai Indians.