Pratika Rawal Hits Unbeaten Century as India Win First ODI

Opener Pratika Rawal was in outstanding form as India thrashed Zimbabwe by nine wickets in the first one-day international on Friday. Her unbeaten 100 from 96 balls was the defining feature of India's chase, and she believes her preparation and composure at the crease made the difference.

Rawal began the innings alongside Smriti Mandhana and later formed an unbroken 106-run partnership with Shafali Verma. That stand took India to the target comfortably, leaving Zimbabwe with little to fight with on the day.

The batter said that her shots were coming off the middle of the bat and finding gaps consistently. Because of this control, she felt no unnecessary pressure while batting.

In a video shared by the BCCI, Rawal described the feeling of batting in good rhythm. 'When you tap the bat on the ground, you feel confident,' she said. 'Every day is different. But when you know you are timing the ball well, the ball is going into empty spaces, and you can play the shots you want, batting feels very easy. Your mind is not confused, and there are not too many thoughts going on. I am very happy that everything went well.'

The innings also brought back memories of her first ODI century, which she had scored on the same date a year earlier. Rawal said she did not realise the coincidence until coach Amol Majumdar reminded her before the innings. Mandhana then urged her to repeat that success.

Rawal explained that the players were sitting together before going out to bat when an India vs New Zealand match was being telecast. She asked Majumdar about the date, and he confirmed that she had scored a century on that day. 'Smriti di said, let's do the same thing again today,' Rawal recalled. 'We wanted to relive that moment, score the same number of runs, and create a similar partnership. Those are wonderful memories, and it always feels good to return to that rhythm.'

Rawal credited the pitch and her recent practice for her strong display. She said the surface was flat, the ball was not swinging much, and the field settings were helpful for the batters. A clear plan also allowed her to play attacking cricket without worrying about the run rate.

She also highlighted the value of performing well in the nets and in practice sessions. According to Rawal, this builds confidence and mental stability, which reduces pressure over where to hit or why runs are not coming. 'Everything depends on your preparation, and I wanted to play exactly like that,' she said. 'My aim was to hit as many boundaries as I could. I had been working on that recently, so I am really pleased that it all went so well.'