NAVI MUMBAI: Delhi has long produced some of India’s finest openers — Virender Sehwag, Shikhar Dhawan, Gautam Gambhir, Manoj Prabhakar, Aakash Chopra. The latest to join that list is 25-year-old Pratika Rawal .
When the selectors picked Rawal over the explosive Shafali Verma a year ago, there were doubts. But since then, she has silenced critics with remarkable consistency — 1,110 runs in 23 WODIs at 50.45, including seven fifties and two hundreds. In the ongoing 2025 Women’s World Cup, she is India’s second-highest run-getter after Smriti Mandhana , scoring 308 runs in six matches at 51.33.
At the DY Patil Stadium on Thursday, the Mandhana-Rawal duo stitched a record 212-run stand, India’s highest-ever for any wicket in a World Cup, powering India to a 55-run win (DLS) over New Zealand and into the semifinals. Mandhana (109 off 85) and Rawal (122 off 134) helped India post 340/3 — the tournament’s highest total so far.
Since they first opened together against West Indies in Vadodara last Dec, the pair has compiled 1,799 runs in 23 innings, including seven century stands — five in 2025 alone. No other opening pair in women’s cricket has matched that dominance.
“Smriti lets me do what I do best and I don’t interfere in what she does best,” Rawal said. “Our conversations are mostly about calculations — how to set up or chase a total. We like to keep it simple. It’s an amazing partnership.”
Head coach Amol Muzumdar described her as someone who has “taken to international cricket like fish to water.” But Rawal insists, “It may look easy, but it’s the result of countless hours of hard work and discussions with the coaches.”
Former India captain Anjum Chopra praised her rise: “She’s made a wonderful start. I hope it’s a long and successful journey for her and for India.”
For Rawal, Thursday’s ton was extra special — her father Pradeep, a BCCI Level-II umpire, was in the stands. “He’s been there for every international match I’ve played. Scoring a ton in front of him, for India, means everything,” she said.
Childhood coach Vinod Matta, who trained her at the Bharat Nagar Cricket Centre, recalled: “Even at 19, she was confidently facing boys’ bowling. She’s disciplined, patient, and a fast learner. That’s why she’s reached this level,” .
Matta also noted her all-round ability: “She can bowl too — as you saw with 1/19 in four overs. She’s a complete cricketer who can serve India for years.”
Though often criticised for slow starts, Muzumdar defended her: “We want her to continue playing her way. She’s been fantastic.”
Rawal herself addressed it with maturity: “Yes, I struggled early on but focused on staying calm and contributing to the team. My discussions with the coaches are about how best I can help the team.”
In her moment of triumph, she credited Jemimah Rodrigues for her blistering unbeaten 76 off 55 balls. “Jemi gave us the final push. Being the home girl, she knew the conditions perfectly,” Rawal said.
Behind the calm exterior, though, lies a fiercely competitive streak. Teammates say she’s one of the hardest workers in the squad — the first to arrive for nets and the last to leave. Her ability to adapt to match situations and read bowlers early has impressed the team management, which now sees her as a long-term pillar at the top of the order.
With a World Cup semifinal ahead, the stakes couldn’t be higher. If Mandhana and Rawal continue their red-hot form, India could finally break its title drought. For a batter who dreamt of donning the blue jersey as a schoolgirl in Delhi, the journey has come full circle — yet, for Pratika Rawal, it feels like it’s only just begun.
When the selectors picked Rawal over the explosive Shafali Verma a year ago, there were doubts. But since then, she has silenced critics with remarkable consistency — 1,110 runs in 23 WODIs at 50.45, including seven fifties and two hundreds. In the ongoing 2025 Women’s World Cup, she is India’s second-highest run-getter after Smriti Mandhana , scoring 308 runs in six matches at 51.33.
At the DY Patil Stadium on Thursday, the Mandhana-Rawal duo stitched a record 212-run stand, India’s highest-ever for any wicket in a World Cup, powering India to a 55-run win (DLS) over New Zealand and into the semifinals. Mandhana (109 off 85) and Rawal (122 off 134) helped India post 340/3 — the tournament’s highest total so far.
Since they first opened together against West Indies in Vadodara last Dec, the pair has compiled 1,799 runs in 23 innings, including seven century stands — five in 2025 alone. No other opening pair in women’s cricket has matched that dominance.
“Smriti lets me do what I do best and I don’t interfere in what she does best,” Rawal said. “Our conversations are mostly about calculations — how to set up or chase a total. We like to keep it simple. It’s an amazing partnership.”
Head coach Amol Muzumdar described her as someone who has “taken to international cricket like fish to water.” But Rawal insists, “It may look easy, but it’s the result of countless hours of hard work and discussions with the coaches.”
Former India captain Anjum Chopra praised her rise: “She’s made a wonderful start. I hope it’s a long and successful journey for her and for India.”
For Rawal, Thursday’s ton was extra special — her father Pradeep, a BCCI Level-II umpire, was in the stands. “He’s been there for every international match I’ve played. Scoring a ton in front of him, for India, means everything,” she said.
Childhood coach Vinod Matta, who trained her at the Bharat Nagar Cricket Centre, recalled: “Even at 19, she was confidently facing boys’ bowling. She’s disciplined, patient, and a fast learner. That’s why she’s reached this level,” .
Matta also noted her all-round ability: “She can bowl too — as you saw with 1/19 in four overs. She’s a complete cricketer who can serve India for years.”
Though often criticised for slow starts, Muzumdar defended her: “We want her to continue playing her way. She’s been fantastic.”
Rawal herself addressed it with maturity: “Yes, I struggled early on but focused on staying calm and contributing to the team. My discussions with the coaches are about how best I can help the team.”
In her moment of triumph, she credited Jemimah Rodrigues for her blistering unbeaten 76 off 55 balls. “Jemi gave us the final push. Being the home girl, she knew the conditions perfectly,” Rawal said.
Behind the calm exterior, though, lies a fiercely competitive streak. Teammates say she’s one of the hardest workers in the squad — the first to arrive for nets and the last to leave. Her ability to adapt to match situations and read bowlers early has impressed the team management, which now sees her as a long-term pillar at the top of the order.
With a World Cup semifinal ahead, the stakes couldn’t be higher. If Mandhana and Rawal continue their red-hot form, India could finally break its title drought. For a batter who dreamt of donning the blue jersey as a schoolgirl in Delhi, the journey has come full circle — yet, for Pratika Rawal, it feels like it’s only just begun.
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