Pratika Rawal celebrates maiden ODI century. [Source: @BCCIWomen/X]
Batting for the sixth time in international cricket, India Women opening batter Pratika Rawal has become one of the few batters to have converted a maiden ODI century into a 150+ individual score. In doing so, Rawal has also become the first batter among men and women’s cricket to amass more than 400 runs in six ODIs.
Rawal, 24, first played for India against West Indies less than a month ago. Having scored three half-centuries until the ongoing third ODI against Ireland in Rajkot, Rawal touching the three-figure mark for the first time has put her in a league of her own.
Rawal, who ended up scoring 154 (129) with the help of 20 fours and a six at a strike rate of 119.37, left behind Netherlands’ Tom Cooper, who had scored 392 runs in his first six ODIs.
Speaking particularly of Women’s ODIs, Rawal is the first player to score in excess of 200 runs in her first six matches in the format. Since 1979, former West Indies batter Vivalyn Latty-Scott held the record for scoring 173 runs in her first six ODI appearances.
Other Records Broken By Pratika Rawal
One of the seven pairs to register two (or more) 150+ partnerships in Women’s ODIs, Rawal partnered India captain Smriti Mandhana (135) to put together a mind-blowing 160-ball 233-run opening stand at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium today.
In what is the 12th highest partnership in Women’s ODIs, it is the third-highest for Indian openers. Interestingly, all these three instances have come against Ireland.
India, who ended up posting 435/5 in 50 overs after Mandhana won the toss and opted to bat first, have become only the third team to cross the 400-run mark in Women’s ODIs. In what is the third-highest innings totals in the format; it is worth mentioning that four out of the Top five entries have come against Irish bowlers.