Pratika Rawal scored a brisk 22 off 18 balls on her T20I debut against Thailand in the Women’s Asia Cup in Dubai on Sunday, August 30, but failed to convert a promising start into a substantial innings.
Rawal was handed her T20I debut after Jemimah Rodrigues was ruled out with an injurywith the youngster coming into the side amid criticism surrounding her selection. She came to bat inside the powerplay after Smriti Mandhana was run out for 19 and quickly showed why India had backed her for the tournament.
India vs Thailand, Women’s T20 World Cup Updates
The right-hander joined Shafali Verma at the crease, with the pair putting together a 53-run partnership for the second wicket to provide India with momentum in the early stages of the innings. While Shafali brought her trademark aggression, Rawal looked increasingly assured before leg-spinner Suleeporn Laomi dismissed her.
PRATIKA SHOWS INTENT WITH FEARLESS DISPLAY
Rawal did not appear overawed by the occasion. She opened her boundary account with a six, going inside out against Sunida Chaturongrattana to clear the long-off boundary with ease. She followed it up with a four later in the over, punching a short and wide delivery through the off side.
The debutant continued to use her feet effectively against the Thailand spinners, charging down the track to hit Kamchomphu down the ground for another boundary. She also produced a well-timed punch through the off side, underlining her ability to find gaps rather than relying solely on power.
Her innings, however, ended just when she appeared capable of pushing on. In the ninth over, Suleeporn Laomi kept the ball on the stumps and it stayed low. Rawal backed away looking to play towards the off side, but missed completely, with the delivery sneaking underneath her bat to disturb the stumps.
It was a knock that did not quite reflect the promise of her stay at the crease, but her approach offered India an encouraging glimpse of what she could bring to the T20I setup.
It remains to be seen whether India play her in their second match against Hong Kong on September 3. With Jemimah’s return still to come, Rawal will know that converting such starts could be crucial if she is to cement her place in India’s T20I plans.
– Ends
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