Pratika Rawal, the opener of the Indian women’s cricket team, created a buzz with a breathtaking century in the third and final ODI against Ireland at Rajkot. In just her sixth ODI, the 24-year-old showed exemplary skill, hitting a maiden international century against Ireland. She scored 154 runs off just 129 balls.
Her explosive knock, along with a scintillating 135 from stand-in captain Smriti Mandhana, helped India achieve a record-breaking total of 435 for their highest ever in the 50-over format. The opening stand of 233 runs set the tone for India’s dominating performance.
With her selection to the Indian Women’s Cricket Team, Pratika Rawal, a proud alumnus of Modern School (Batch of 2019), has reached a significant career milestone. Her nomination is a testament to her exceptional talent, steadfast dedication to the game, and tireless work ethic. Pratika demonstrated her exceptional skill and consistency in the just-finished One Day International (ODI) series against Ireland, with outstanding performances that were crucial to her team’s victory.
Cool ✅
Calm ✅
Composed ✅
..And now a Centurion 💯Well played Pratika Rawal 👏👏
Updates ▶️ https://t.co/xOe6thhPiL#TeamIndia | #INDvIRE | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/zWzadJjdGI
— BCCI Women (@BCCIWomen) January 15, 2025
Early Life And Domestic Journey
Pratika Rawal with Dr. Vijay Datta, Principal of Modern School Barakhamba Road
Pratika Rawal was born on September 1, 2000, in Delhi. She is a multi-talented athlete who initially displayed her brilliance not only in cricket but also in basketball. Representing Bal Bharati School, Rajender Nagar, she won a gold medal at the 64th School National Games held in January 2019. Pratika’s academic achievements were equally impressive—she scored 92.5% in her CBSE 12th board exams.
Being part of the Rohtak Road Gymkhana Cricket Academy, under coach Sharvan Kumar’s guidance, Pratika’s cricket career started at the age of 10. By the time she was into her teenage years, passion and dedication towards the game had set her on the path to a professional cricketing career.
Taking a leap into her bright career in cricket now, Pratika Rawal attributes her success to the supportive grounds of Modern School, Barakhamba Road, which has a history of turning forth cricketing greats like Shweta Sehrawat and Ayush Badoni. Pratika was given a scholarship after being recognized for her enormous potential when she was admitted to Class 6, which enabled her to excel in both the classroom and on the field.
A multi-talented athlete who excelled in cricket and basketball, she won several awards for the school, including the SGFI Gold. Her outstanding accomplishments earned her the PTA Award for the BCCI’s selection of her in the U-19 Nationals and the Kiran Seth Award for Best All-Round Sportsperson (2017–2018).
After playing for Delhi in the domestic circuit between 2021 and 2024, she decided on Railways, which helped her hone her skills and became one of the outstanding players in the team.
Her father, Pradeep Rawal, who is a BCCI-certified Level-II umpire and associated with the Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA), played an important role in promoting her cricketing ambitions.
International Career: A Star In The Making
The meteoric rise of Pratika to international cricket has been quite astonishing. In December 2024, she received her maiden call-up for the national team to play the ODI series against West Indies. She made her debut on December 22, 2024, and she became the 150th ODI cricketer for India. She scored 40 runs in her first match and even shared a 110-run partnership with Smriti Mandhana.
Pratika reached her maiden half-century in the second ODI and contributed 76 runs along with taking two wickets. She picked up her first international wicket when she sent West Indies skipper Hayley Matthews back into the pavilion on 106.
Her first international century came in spectacular fashion, smashing 154 against Ireland at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot on January 15, 2025. She was awarded Player of the Match and Player of the Series.
Pratika attributes much of her success to her understanding of the human mind. In a video shared by the BCCI titled Pratika Rawal: Psychology Meets Cricket, she reflected on how her studies in psychology have positively impacted her game.
“I always wanted to study about the human mind, and as I read further about it, I found that it had become important to understand how we mentally go about things in the field as well as off it. It’s been really useful to me when playing cricket,” she explained.
Pratika Rawal is among them, who have become a new sensation in Indian women’s cricket with their record-breaking knock and consistent performances.
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