‘I enjoy batting with her more than she enjoys batting with me’, says Pratika Rawal on her partnerships with Mandhana
Team India’s opener Pratika Rawal has settled into the national squad like a natural, showing steady growth since her debut for the Women in Blue. Her solid batting form shone bright in the first ODI against Australia on Sunday, proving she’s a rising star in women’s cricket.
With Shafali Verma facing a tough patch, Smriti Mandhana discovered a reliable opening partner in the 25-year-old Rawal. Rawal made her mark debuting against West Indies in December 2024, and the pair has since fired up India’s ODI lineup.
Their latest magic happened in that Australia clash, where Mandhana and Rawal smashed a world record. They racked up 958 partnership runs in 2025—the most by any batting duo for a wicket in a calendar year. This beat the old mark of 905 runs set by Australia’s Belinda Clark and Lisa Keightley back in 2000. What a feat for Indian women’s cricket!
Rawal led India’s charge in the series opener, top-scoring with 64 runs off 96 balls. She teamed up with Mandhana for a fantastic 114-run opening stand that kept fans hooked.
Chatting on JioHotstar, Rawal gushed about her partner: “I enjoy batting with her more than she enjoys batting with me. It’s always great, especially the way she plays and attacks every ball. It’s just so amazing to see.”
Australia grabbed a comfortable nine-wicket win in the first match of the three-ODI series, putting India 0-1 down. While the team’s overall show raised eyebrows—especially the bowlers who couldn’t match their earlier spark—Mandhana and Rawal’s partnership was the highlight.
Remember India’s gritty series against England? The bowlers, led by captain Harmanpreet Kaur, turned heroes, helping the side clinch a 2-1 ODI win and a thrilling 3-2 T20I victory over Nat Sciver-Brunt’s team. But against Australia, things didn’t click the same way.
Rawal stays upbeat about India’s bowling unit, especially the spinners. “We have an amazing spin side, and the way the bowlers have been performing this year, I think it’s going to be great for us,” she said confidently.
India eyes a comeback in the home series against Australia, with the next match on September 20. Then, it’s straight into the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025, starting September 30 against Sri Lanka in Guwahati. Excitement builds for more fireworks from this dynamic duo!
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