Women's Asia Cup: Pratika Rawal cherishes 'privilege' of being a multi-format player for India
Dubai, Sep 3
Right-handed batter Pratika Rawal said she is cherishing the privilege of being an all-format player for India, a dream she saw in her childhood, especially after making her T20I debut in the ongoing Women's Asia Cup.
Pratika received her debut cap from team captain Harmanpreet Kaur ahead of the fixture against Thailand on August 30 and made 22. She will be looking to get a bigger score when her turn to bat comes against Hong Kong-China at the Dubai International Stadium.
"It actually feels like a privilege to be able to stand here playing all three formats. This is what I've always wanted to do as a young kid, and to be able to stand here, getting my debut cap from the captain, it feels great. It feels like a privilege. It feels like a blessing, and I think back home people are happier than me," Rawal said to broadcasters before the match began.
India's middle order came under scrutiny in their tournament opener after suffering a collapse in the last ten overs. Addressing strategies to prevent similar batting slumps, Pratika said the importance of preserving wickets will be key to getting dominant totals.
"I think just go with the flow, just assess the conditions, what are the various areas that we can score in. Definitely, we would love to play with a lot of wickets in hand and would love to go for a big total here."
Despite playing against lower-ranked opposition teams, Pratika insisted that the team's internal standards remain uniform regardless of the country facing them on the field. "We try to keep it as simple as possible. We don't look at opponents. We look at one ball at a time, and we look for areas. We look for situations that we can score in. It's not about who we're playing against."
With international calendar demands rising, Pratika, who came into the squad as a replacement for injured Jemimah Rodrigues, stated her focus remains squarely on maximising every chance presented to establish herself across all three formats. "I'm on my toes. I would love to get a lot of opportunities here. I would love to score a lot of runs here, and my prime focus is to contribute as much as I can for the team."
— IANS
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