The Indian women’s team’s new batting sensation Pratika Rawal, who played a vital role (122 off 134 balls) in her team’s 53-run win over New Zealand at the DY Patil Stadium on Thursday, was once distraught after being dropped by the Delhi U-19 selectors, her father and coach, Pradeep Rawal revealed.
Rawal Sr, who like his daughter was an all-rounder, represented the Delhi University cricket team and is now a BCCI Level-2 umpire. He recalled how Pratika overcame the frustration and disappointment in her teens.
Pratika Rawal’s childhood coach Vinod Matta
“Pratika was not selected in Delhi’s U-19 women’s cricket team in 2018 or 2019, and we both were quite disappointed that despite scoring heavily in the trial matches, she was not picked. The selectors said that she was scoring too slowly. I remember, she turned to me and asked, ‘Papa, did I really play slow?’ She was frustrated and disappointed then, but she remained mentally tough, confident and determined to perform,” Pradeep Rawal told mid-day on Friday.
From setback to success
“At that time, the Delhi schools team was to play in the 64th U-19 Schools Nationals in Indore. Delhi schools team’s coach, Vinod Matta sir, picked Pratika and scored a century in the very first match of 16 overs. She went on to be named Player of the series. When the Delhi U-19 schools team emerged champions for the first time, the Delhi U-19 state selectors eventually picked her in the Delhi U-19 team the following year,” added Pratika’s dad.
On Thursday, Rawal Sr was in the stands at the DY Patil Stadium watching his daughter score her maiden World Cup century. “I feel so proud that Pratika scored her first World Cup century and helped the Indian team qualify for the semi-finals. I was watching her from the stands and enjoyed her innings. I feel this stadium is lucky for us,” he said.
When asked whether he expected his daughter to reach 1000 runs in her 23rd ODI and become the joint-fastest player, matching Australia’s Lindsay Reeler to achieve the milestone, he replied: “The way she was batting, I actually wanted her to achieve it within her first 20 ODIs.”
Chasing more glory
Now Rawal Sr wants his daughter to do more.
“When she left home last September for the World Cup camp, I told her I wanted three-four centuries from her in this competition. She replied in the affirmative. Now, though this century [vs NZ] has come a bit late, but there are still three games left [vs Bangladesh on Sunday, the semi-final and the final], so I think we can still count [more tons]. There are bigger expectations now. She adapts to situations quickly and has the confidence to deliver,” added Rawal Sr, who started training his daughter when she was three years old, aiming to groom her into a cricketer like his favourites, Sachin Tendulkar, Brian Lara and Mark Waugh.
Pratika was a natural sportsperson. During her schooling, she also represented the Delhi schools team at nationals in basketball and athletics, winning gold medals. Coach Matta, who has been guiding Pratika since 2018, believes his ward will lead the Indian women’s team in the future. “She is a disciplined and focused cricketer and a quick learner. She has worked really hard on her game and fitness, and that’s why she is getting the results now. She was never scared to bat against boys older than her and always batted with ease. She is sensible, mature and has good leadership qualities. I would like to see her leading the Indian team in the future,” Matta told mid-day over the phone from Delhi on Friday.