Pratika Rawal

Hailing from Delhi, Pratika Rawal is one of the bright batting talents to emerge in Indian women’s cricket. Sport was always central to her upbringing and she first made a name for herself in basketball, even winning a gold medal at the 64th School National Games in 2019 before deciding to fully commit to cricket. Alongside her sporting achievements, she has been academically strong, completing a degree in Psychology, which she believes has given her valuable perspective on handling pressure in competitive sport. Her cricketing journey began at the age of ten, guided by her father Pradeep Rawal, a BCCI-certified umpire, who first introduced her to the game.

She progressed steadily through age-group cricket and made her senior domestic debut for Delhi in 2021. Over the next few seasons, she grew into one of Delhi’s most dependable performers and even captained the Under-23 side to the final of the T20 Trophy. Ahead of the 2024 season, she shifted to Railways, a move that coincided with a call-up to the Indian squad later that year for the ODI series against the West Indies.

Rawal adapted to the international stage with remarkable ease, but her true breakthrough arrived against Ireland in early 2025 when she struck 154 off 129 balls in a record 233-run opening partnership with Smriti Mandhana. Breaking into India’s top order is never easy, especially with the presence of Shafali Verma, but Rawal’s early performances ensured she carved out her place. While her returns in the England series were modest, she earned praise for her temperament and composure. Coupled with her handy off-spin, those qualities helped her secure a place in India’s squad for the 2025 ODI World Cup at home.

Pratika Rawal was one of India’s brightest stars at the 2025 ICC Women’s ODI World Cup, finishing as her team’s second-highest run-scorer with 308 runs, including a brilliant century against New Zealand that helped seal India’s semi-final spot. Her tournament was unfortunately cut short by an ankle injury sustained while fielding against Bangladesh, which ruled her out of the knockout stages and meant she was replaced in the squad before the semifinals; under ICC rules only the final 15-member squad receive medals, so she initially missed out on a winners’ medal despite her contributions, although BCCI and officials later ensured she was recognised with one as well. In the Women’s Premier League auction ahead of the 2026 season, UP Warriorz picked Rawal, backing her talent and potential as she moves into franchise cricket after a breakthrough World Cup campaign.