Mumbai: India didn’t just find a match-winner today; they witnessed the arrival of a potential new superstar. 25-year-old Pratika Rawal, long considered a promising talent, stepped onto the world’s biggest stage and played the innings of her life, scoring a magnificent 122 against New Zealand in a do-or-die Women’s World Cup clash at the DY Patil Stadium.
This wasn’t just her first-ever World Cup century it was a statement.
A Masterclass Under Pressure
Her knock was a masterclass in building an innings when it mattered most. With India reeling from three consecutive defeats and needing a win to stay alive in the tournament, Rawal delivered when her team needed her most. Her 122 came off 134 deliveries, and it was a perfectly constructed innings.
She started as the anchor, giving the more aggressive Smriti Mandhana the strike, before blossoming herself. She struck 13 boundaries and 2 huge sixes, showcasing her full repertoire of strokes. It was an innings that combined patience with aggression, technique with intent.
Rewriting the Record Books
Rawal didn’t just score a century; she rewrote history multiple times in one innings:
1. Partnership Record: She and Mandhana put on a colossal 212-run opening stand, which is now the highest partnership for any wicket by India in Women’s World Cup history.
2. World Record Equalled: During this phenomenal innings, Pratika Rawal smashed a 37-year-old world record by becoming the joint-fastest woman in history to reach 1,000 ODI runs. She achieved the milestone in just 23 innings, tying the long-standing record set by Australia’s Lindsay Reeler back in 1988. She surpassed legends like Meg Lanning, Laura Wolvaardt, and India’s own Mithali Raj.
3. Partnership Dominance: This was Rawal and Mandhana’s seventh century stand together as an opening pair joint-most for any Indian duo in women’s cricket. Together in 2025, they have amassed an incredible 1,557 partnership runs, the second-highest aggregate by any pair in a single calendar year in ODI cricket, behind only the legendary Sachin Tendulkar-Sourav Ganguly partnership of 1998.
Who is Pratika Rawal?
While this is her first World Cup hundred, it’s the second century of her young ODI career. The 25-year-old opener from Delhi has been a consistent performer in the domestic circuit, known for her solid technique, calm temperament, and ability to anchor innings.
She has been a revelation in the ongoing World Cup, performing consistently throughout the tournament. Her ability to rotate strike, find gaps, and then accelerate when needed makes her a complete modern opener.
The Match Context
This innings came at a crucial juncture for India. The hosts were on a three-match losing streak, having fallen to Australia, South Africa, and England the three teams already confirmed for the semi-finals. This match against New Zealand was essentially a quarter-final, a must-win knockout game for both teams vying for the fourth and final semi-final spot.
A crowd of 23,180 spectators the highest attendance of the tournament witnessed this historic performance, as the DY Patil Stadium erupted with every boundary and milestone.
India eventually posted 329 for 2 in 48 overs before rain halted play, with Rawal’s innings providing the foundation for what could be a match-winning total.
The Verdict
By scoring a defining century in a high-stakes World Cup match and tying a world record that stood for 37 years, Rawal has proven she isn’t just a “future prospect” she is the present.
She has announced herself on the global stage in the most emphatic manner possible. While Smriti Mandhana has long been the face of Indian women’s cricket, Pratika Rawal has shown she is a worthy partner at the top of the order, capable of matching any achievement.
As India fights to keep their World Cup dreams alive, they can take heart in knowing they have found a star who delivers when the stakes are highest. Today, at the DY Patil Stadium, Pratika Rawal didn’t just score runs she etched her name into cricket history.
Match Scorecard Highlights:
- India Women: 340/3 (49 overs) Rain stopped play
- Pratika Rawal: 122 (134 balls, 13 fours, 2 sixes)
- Smriti Mandhana: 109 (95 balls, 10 fours, 4 sixes)
- Opening Partnership: 212 runs (India’s highest in Women’s World Cup)
- Venue: DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai
- Attendance: 23,180 (tournament record)
Also Read | Smriti Mandhana on Fire! Slams Breathtaking Century Against New Zealand
