When you're middling the ball well, you are not cluttered in your mind – Pratika Rawal reflects on Vadodara ton vs Zimbabwe

India opener Pratika Rawal struck an unbeaten century against Zimbabwe in the first ODI of the three-match series at BCA Stadium in Kotambi, Vadodara on Friday, October 23, 2026. The reigning 50-over World Cup champions secured a nine-wicket victory. Rawal finished on 100 not out off 96 deliveries, sharing an opening partnership of 94 runs with Smriti Mandhana before adding an unbeaten 106-run stand with Shafali Verma, who remained 64 not out off 33 balls.

Reflecting on her performance, Rawal spoke about the mental state that enabled her to play with such control and precision. She explained that confidence builds when a batter feels the connection between bat and ball, and that sensation shapes how the innings unfolds.

Rawal's approach to batting emphasised the importance of mental simplicity during an innings. When a batter strikes the ball cleanly and watches shots find their intended targets, the mind remains free from doubt and distraction. This state of flow, where technique and instinct align without overthinking, allowed Rawal to build her innings methodically against Zimbabwe's bowling.

"As a batter, when you tap that bat, you feel confidence. Every day, obviously, is different, but when you know that you're middling the ball well, your shots are finding the gaps and you're hitting the ball where you want to, it becomes easier because you're not very cluttered in your mind. You don't have multiple thoughts in your mind, so it becomes very easy when you're batting in that sense," Rawal said in a BCCI video.

What made this century particularly special for Rawal?

This century marked Rawal's third ODI hundred, a milestone that carried unexpected personal significance. Before the innings began, coach Amol Muzumdar drew her attention to a remarkable coincidence: the match date matched the anniversary of her first ODI century, which she scored against Ireland on January 15, 2025. Mandhana, her opening partner, encouraged Rawal to recreate that earlier achievement.

"I had no idea, to be very honest, that this was the day when I scored my first ODI 100. But we were sitting before going into bat and there was this match coming on TV which was New Zealand against India, and I was asking Amol sir, this was around that time only…and then he said this is the exact day when you scored a 100, and then Smriti di said, 'Chalo aaj bhi karte hain phir'… let's just recreate it; it's the exact same number of runs…the kind of partnership that we had that day. So it's good memories, World Cup memories…it's always good to be back in that groove," she added.

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Rawal's second ODI century came during the 50-over World Cup in October 2025, when she scored 122 against New Zealand and shared a 212-run opening stand with Mandhana, the highest opening partnership for India in Women's World Cup history.