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Indian opener Pratika Rawal once again proved why she is considered the next big thing in women’s cricket. Her scintillating century against New Zealand in the Women’s World Cup 2025 guided India to a commanding victory and sealed their berth in the semifinals. The match, played at Navi Mumbai on Thursday, witnessed a dominant performance from Rawal, who displayed composure, timing, and confidence throughout her innings.
A knock to remember from Pratika Rawal
Rawal’s innings was a perfect blend of patience and aggression. Opening the innings with Smriti Mandhana, she built a record 212-run partnership, laying the foundation for India’s massive total. While Mandhana dazzled with her trademark flair, Rawal anchored the innings with a blend of elegance and consistency. Her 122 off 134 deliveries, featuring 13 boundaries and two sixes, showcased her ability to switch gears seamlessly.
She later stitched another 76-run stand with Jemimah Rodrigues, ensuring India never lost momentum even after the dismissal of Mandhana. It was a mature knock that underlined her growth as a dependable top-order batter. For Rawal, it was a moment of personal triumph — her first-ever World Cup hundred and second international century overall.
Rawal reveals her success mantra
Speaking after the match, the 23-year-old credited her performance to self-belief, a calm dressing-room atmosphere, and unwavering support from her parents and teammates.
“We were having this discussion about believing in ourselves — that we can win any match because we have such amazing players. I’ve worked extremely hard for this. It might look simple from the outside, but there’s a lot of preparation and mental focus behind every innings. I’m really happy with the way I’m progressing,” Rawal said in the post-match presentation as quoted by India Today.
Rawal highlighted how the Indian team’s environment under their current leadership has played a pivotal role in nurturing confidence among players.
“The dressing room is full of positivity. The kind of trust and encouragement I get from my teammates and coaches allows me to play my natural game,” she added.
Also READ: Fans react as Pratika Rawal smashes maiden World Cup century for India against New Zealand
Rawal on reaching a milestone during her phenomenal innings
During her knock, Rawal also reached a significant personal milestone — becoming the joint-fastest batter to complete 1,000 ODI runs in women’s cricket, achieving the feat in just 23 innings. However, she was quick to downplay the record, insisting that personal achievements come secondary to team victories.
“I only found out about the milestone after the match. Records are nice, but what matters most is contributing to the team’s success. Winning games for India is what truly drives me,” Rawal added further.
This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: crickettimes.com
