Right-handed batter Pratika Rawal has described playing all three formats of international cricket for India as a childhood dream fulfilled, speaking ahead of the Women's Asia Cup fixture against Hong Kong-China at the Dubai International Stadium on 3 September. Rawal, who made her T20I debut on 30 August against Thailand, is already looking to build on that breakthrough appearance.

Debut Cap and a Dream Realised

Rawal received her debut T20I cap from team captain Harmanpreet Kaur before the Thailand fixture, scoring 22 runs on the occasion. “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 told broadcasters before the match.

Addressing India’s Middle-Order Collapse

India’s middle order came under scrutiny in their tournament opener after a batting collapse in the final ten overs. Rawal acknowledged the concern and pointed to wicket preservation as the key to posting 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,” she said.

Process Over Opposition

Despite facing lower-ranked sides in the group stage, Rawal insisted that India’s internal standards do not change based on the opposition. “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,” she said. The approach reflects a professional discipline that India’s management has consistently emphasised in multi-team tournaments.

Stepping Up as Replacement for Rodrigues

Rawal entered the squad as a replacement for injured batter Jemimah Rodrigues, turning an unexpected call-up into an opportunity to cement her place across formats. She made clear that maximising every chance remains her primary goal. “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,” Rawal said. Notably, her presence in all three formats at a young stage of her career puts her in a select group within the current Indian women’s setup. With the Women's Asia Cup serving as a key preparatory tournament ahead of a packed international calendar, her performances here could shape her role in India’s longer-term plans.