Pratika Rawal watched World Cup highlights before scoring unbeaten 100 as India beat Zimbabwe in Vadodara
Pratika Rawal scored an unbeaten 100 as India defeated Zimbabwe by nine wickets in the first Women's ODI in Vadodara on October 23, 2026, after watching highlights of her 2025 World Cup century before going out to bat. The innings carried personal significance for Rawal and helped India complete the chase inside 28 overs.
October 23 has particular resonance for Rawal: it was on this date in 2025 that she recorded her maiden Women's World Cup century against New Zealand. That World Cup innings was the footage she reviewed before batting in Vadodara, and the new hundred in the same calendar slot was Rawal's third ODI century. Her return to form follows a period interrupted by injuries and missed tournaments.
Rawal's recent injury setbacks included right ankle and knee injuries sustained during India's World Cup match against Bangladesh, which ruled her out of the semi-final and the final. Those injuries also led to her missing the 2026 Women's Premier League, where she had been due to represent UP Warriorz. In July 2026 she suffered a cut to her right knee during an India A match against England A that ruled her out of India's historic Lord's Test against England.
Before walking out to bat in Vadodara, Rawal watched footage of her World Cup hundred on television; she later reflected on that in the presentation ceremony. "Before going in to bat, I watched the highlights of the game against New Zealand on TV. That was the match in which I scored my last hundred, so to be able to score another century on the same day was special," Rawal said during the post-match presentation ceremony.
In the match itself Rawal set the foundation with an opening stand of 94 with Smriti Mandhana; Mandhana made 32 before being dismissed by Olinder Chare. After Mandhana's wicket Rawal combined with Shafali Verma to put Zimbabwe's bowling under sustained pressure, the pair compiling an unbeaten 106-run partnership.
Rawal reached her half-century off 54 balls before accelerating and continued to find gaps as she approached three figures. She brought up the hundred with consecutive boundaries off Tendai Makusha, including a whippy drive wide of long-on, and finished unbeaten on 100 from 96 balls with 15 fours while Shafali remained not out on 64 from 33 deliveries.
The Rawal–Verma stand took India to 198 in 27.1 overs, sealing a nine-wicket victory and giving the hosts a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
