Pradeep Rawal apologized for being late for a meeting before the ICC Women’s World Cup, stating he had errands to run. He ordered banners for venues to display during the tournament, including one featuring Pratika Rawal’s “100* – Pratika Rawal: Proud Moment of Father.” The banner was broadcast globally after Rawal scored her first century in the tournament against New Zealand. Rawal’s performance showcased her copybook technique, contributing to India’s win and securing the semi-finals.
Pradeep visits their West Patel Nagar residence and finds a terrace filled with potted plants and green nets. Pratika practiced there during the pandemic, which was a challenging phase for her career, as it delayed her rise to prominence.
Pradeep, a former bowler, and his wife Pratika, a former domestic cricketer, used to practice at their house, which was no longer inhabited. Pradeep would practice for hours in the morning and evening, and Pratika would not sleep or eat until she had practiced. Pratika faced 400-500 balls daily, and her older age made her parents worried. Despite skipped one year due to her boards, she never gave up and believed it was a matter of destiny.
In her match against New Zealand, she demonstrated perseverance, despite struggling with her strike rate. In her upcoming match against Australia, she repaid coach Amol Muzumdar’s faith with a classy innings.
Pratika Kumar, a talented cricketer, began her journey at Rohtak Road Gymkhana under Shravan Kumar, who has mentored Ishant Sharma and Harshit Rana. Kumar’s talent was evident from the start, and she stood up to boys older than her. As more girls joined, more girls started to join, and now there are 30 girls training under him. Pradeep, who played cricket until his university days, wanted to see his dreams realized through his first child. Kumar taught Pratika to hold a bat at three, became a Level 1 BCCI umpire, and watched his matches. Pratika is a gold medalist at the national level and is now a gold medalist in basketball.
Pratika Rawal, a 21-year-old engineering student, is a genius who scored over 92% in her 10th and 12th board exams and completed her psychology graduation. She balances her sports, playing basketball and cricket, and prioritizes practice even when tired or hurt.
Pratika Rawal, a cricketer, experienced significant improvement in her batting after working under Deepti (Dhyani) in 2017. Her training regimen helped her accumulate runs in domestic cricket. She was named in the ODI squad for the home series against West Indies at 24 years old, feeling a delayed reward. Her father, Pradeep, is emotional about the news.
Pratika Sharma has formed a successful opening partnership with Smriti Mandhana since her ODI debut. They are similar in their approach, focusing on the number of runs needed and not much conversation. Pratika’s dedication to her craft and clarity of thought have contributed to her early success. Despite areas for improvement, she has given India a promising player for the future, making her a valuable asset in the team.
