[cricknation_live_score match=”When you’re middling the ball well, you are not cluttered in your mind – Pratika Rawal reflects on Vadodara ton vs Zimbabwe”]
- When you play well with the ball, your head isn’t in a mess – Pratika Rawal reflects on the tone of Vadodara against Zimbabwe. India’s opener scored 100 off 96 balls in the first ODI in Vadodara, credited to the mental clarity that comes with hitting the ball cleanly.
- (Photo Source: Jiostar) Indian opener Pratika Rawal scored an unbeaten century against Zimbabwe in the first ODI of the three-match series at the BCA Stadium in Kotambi, Vadodara on Friday, October 23, 2026.
- The reigning 50-over World Cup champions claimed a nine-wicket win.
When you play well with the ball, your head isn’t in a mess – Pratika Rawal reflects on the tone of Vadodara against Zimbabwe. India’s opener scored 100 off 96 balls in the first ODI in Vadodara, credited to the mental clarity that comes with hitting the ball cleanly.
(Photo Source: Jiostar) Indian opener Pratika Rawal scored an unbeaten century against Zimbabwe in the first ODI of the three-match series at the BCA Stadium in Kotambi, Vadodara on Friday, October 23, 2026. The reigning 50-over World Cup champions claimed a nine-wicket win. Rawal finished the game with 100 not out in 96 balls and shared an opening partnership of 94 runs with Smriti Mandhana before scoring an unbeaten 106 not out in 33 balls with Shafali Verma, who stood at 64 not out in 33 balls.
Reflecting on his performance, Rawal spoke about the mental state that enabled him to play with such control and precision. She explained that confidence comes when a batsman feels the connection between bat and ball and that feeling is the way the innings plays out. Rawal’s proach to batting highlighted the importance of mental simplicity during an innings.
When a batsman hits the ball cleanly and watches the shots hit their target, the mind remains free of doubt and distraction. This state of fluidity, where technique and instinct are balanced without much thought, allowed Rawal to methodically construct his innings against Zimbabwe’s bowling. “As a batsman, when you use this bat, you feel confidence.
Of course every day is different, but if you know that you are playing well in the middle, that your shots are hitting the middle and you are hitting the ball where you want, it becomes easier because you are not very confused in your head. You don’t have multiple thoughts in your head, so if you bat in that direction it becomes very easy,” Rawal said in a BCCI video. What made this century special for Rawal?
This century marked Rawal’s third ODI century, a milestone of unexpected personal significance. Before the innings began, coach Amol Muzumdar drew her attention to a remarkable coincidence: the date of the match fell on the anniversary of her first ODI century, scored against Ireland on January 15, 2025. Mandhana, his opening partner, encouraged Rawal to emulate that earlier performance.
“I had no idea, to be very honest, that this was the day when I scored my first ODI 100. But we were sitting there before we left and there was this match on TV, it was New Zealand vs India, and I asked Amol sir, it was just around that time… and then he said that was the exact day you scored a 100, and then Smriti di said, “Chalo aaj bhi karte hain phir”… let’s recreate it; It’s exactly the same number of races… the kind of partnership we had that day. So it’s good memories, World Cup memories… it’s always good to find that rhythm again,” she added.
Also Read: Afghanistan overtaken England in ICC Men’s ODI team rankings after tri-series triumph. Rawal’s second ODI century came in the 50-over World Cup in October 2025, when she scored 122 against New Zealand and shared an opening stand of 212 runs with Mandhana, the highest opening partnership for India in Women’s World Cup history.
