Last Updated on 3 weeks ago by Vijay Kumar
Pratika Rawal is an Indian women’s cricket player who made her One Day International (ODI) debut for the India women’s national cricket team on 22 December 2024, becoming the 150th woman to represent India in ODIs. A right-handed opening batter and occasional right-arm off-break bowler, she shot into the spotlight after scoring 154 runs off 129 balls in an ODI against Ireland in January 2025, forming a 233-run opening partnership with Smriti Mandhana which helped India post their highest-ever total in women’s ODIs (435/5). Her combination of academic background in psychology and sporting skill has earned her attention as a modern, multi-dimensional athlete.
Early Life
Born on 1 September 2000 in Delhi, India, Pratika Rawal grew up in a sporting and academically focused environment. Her father, Pradeep Rawal, is a BCCI-certified Level-II umpire affiliated with the Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA). She attended Modern School, Barakhamba Road, New Delhi, and later graduated in Psychology from Jesus & Mary College, University of Delhi. In her CBSE Class 12 board exams she scored 92.5%. She also represented her school in basketball, winning a gold medal at the 64th School National Games in Delhi in January 2019. Rawal began playing cricket about the age of 10, training initially under coach Sharvan Kumar at the Rohtak Road Gymkhana Cricket Academy.
Career
Pratika Rawal’s domestic career began with the Delhi women’s cricket team in 2021. In the 2023-24 Senior Women’s One Day Trophy she scored 411 runs in eight matches, averaging 68.50 with a strike-rate of 91.94, including two centuries with a top score of 141. Ahead of the 2024 season she moved to the powerhouse team Railways women’s cricket team to further her development.
Her international breakthrough came in December 2024 when she earned her debut cap in the ODI series against the West Indies women’s cricket team, opening alongside Smriti Mandhana and scoring 40 in her first match. The historic innings against Ireland in January 2025 (154 off 129 balls) stamped her as a rising star. She is also reported to apply her psychology degree to the game—focusing on mental conditioning, focus, and decision-making under pressure.
Personal Life
Rawal’s academic achievements and sporting versatility set her apart. Her close relationship with her father and the influence of his umpiring background provided early exposure to cricketing culture. Her education in psychology is unusual among elite cricketers and is said to influence her playing style. She remains unmarried and focuses full-time on her cricketing career. While she has attracted media attention and social-media buzz, especially after her record-breaking innings, she has kept a relatively low public profile off the field.
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