Pratika Rawal has cemented her place as a reliable opener alongside Smriti Mandhana heading into the World Cup. After the selectors dropped Shafali Verma from the ODIs due to inconsistent performance since the last World Cup in 2022, Pratika was picked as Mandhana’s batting partner at the top. The Delhi-born cricketer has seized the opportunity with both hands, as she has had a brilliant run of form since her ODI debut against the West Indies in December 2024.
In her ODI career thus far, the 24-year-old has amassed 703 runs, including a century and 5 fifties, at an average of 54.07 in 14 matches. Rawal did not have an ideal ODI series against England, scoring 65 runs at an average of 21.66 in three matches. However, Pratik Rawal can find her rhythm in the ODI series against Australia, which will take just before the ODI World Cup.