"I don't differentiate between a daughter and a son. My son is an engineer and has no interest in cricket, but my daughter is playing cricket for India." Pradeep Rawal is proud of the route taken in life by his children. The fact it's his daughter pursing the sporting path is irrelevant to him. Pratika Rawal, a right-handed opening batter, is a key part of India's squad at the Women's World Cup. At 25, she has already shown immense promise in her short international career and is being touted as one of India's next big stars in women's cricket. A batting average of almost 50 after 21 one-day internationals usually guarantees that.

Born into a cricket-loving family in India's capital, Delhi, Pratika had a bat in her hand by the age of three. Her father, Pradeep, a university-level cricketer and BCCI Level 2 umpire, wanted his daughter to fulfil the dream he couldn't. "I didn't have the means or guidance to make it in cricket, so when Pratika was just three years old, I started teaching her," he recalls. In a country where cricket is often treated like a religion but women's cricket has long struggled for recognition, Pradeep's support was unwavering. "I knew, irrespective of gender, cricket would be in my children's genes since I've dedicated my whole life to the sport. Thankfully, she had the interest, and I didn't hesitate for a second," he says.

Pratika was just 10 years old when Pradeep realised she was destined to achieve something big. "When she was just 10, her school organised a match against a senior college team and she made more than 50 runs," Pradeep recalls. "Everyone was shocked at how such a young kid could bat so well; that's when I knew she was special."

As Pratika moved up through the age groups, she caught the attention of former India player Deepti Dhyani, who became her coach. "I saw her play a few drives and realised she had the capabilities. Most state-level players have talent; the challenge is transforming it for professional cricket. That's where we as coaches step in," Deepti says. "She stood out because whenever you asked her to work on something, she would tick every box, even if you weren't watching." Deepti also emphasised fitness, something Pratika had embraced since childhood. "We often think gym work means building bulky muscles, but it's really about staying injury-free. Thankfully, Pratika understood that well and worked on her fitness seriously," says Deepti.

Even as cricket became her focus, Pratika didn't neglect her studies. She pursued a degree in psychology, which helped her understand the mental side of the game. "She was in ninth standard when she got interested in psychology, so she decided to study it in college," says her father. "In cricket, psychology plays a major role. When you're batting, trying to read what a bowler is thinking or why they've set a certain field, it helps you dissect situations better. It's been really useful for her."

It's that out-of-the-box thinking which gives Pratika a useful skill off the field: she can solve a Rubik's cube. "It has an algorithm to it," Pratika said, in a social media video. "The centre pieces don't move, so you need to move everything around those." Easy, or so Pratika makes it seem.

Despite consistent domestic performances, Pratika was overlooked in last year's lucrative Women's Premier League (WPL) auction. The setback didn't last long. Weeks later, Pratika received her maiden India call-up. She made her debut against the West Indies in December 2024 and has since been consistently among the runs. Her standout moment came when she smashed 154 against Ireland in only her sixth game. "We were sure she would make it to the Indian team sooner or later," Deepti says proudly. "She was ready, she just needed that one chance, and she made it count." Since her debut, Pratika has scored seven fifties and a century. In India's thrilling World Cup group game with the all-conquering Australia, Rawal stood up to some of the best new-ball bowlers in the world to hit 75 in an opening partnership of 155 with Smriti Mandhana.

There have been blips for India, including defeats against Australia and South Africa, but they are still expected to reach the semi-finals where they will hope to make home advantage count and become the first team from Asia to go on and win the competition. Her father echoes that optimism: "We will win this World Cup, I'm sure of it. We have big expectations from Pratika too, and whatever role the team management has given her, she'll fulfil it."