Amid the euphoric celebrations of India's historic Women's World Cup victory, a touching story of team spirit and resilience has emerged, centering on opener Pratika Rawal. The 25-year-old batter, who was a crucial part of the team's journey to the title, initially found herself without a winner's medal due to an ICC regulation, but the situation is now happily resolved.
The Medal Mix-Up and a teammate's Generous Gesture
Fans quickly noticed that Pratika Rawal, who missed the semi-final and final due to an injury, was not presented with a medal during the official ceremony. The International Cricket Council (ICC) has a clear rule stating that a player withdrawn from the squad is no longer eligible for a medal. Since Rawal was officially replaced by Shafali Verma, she fell under this clause.
However, a heartwarming gesture from within the team ensured she was not left out entirely during a key moment. When the champion team, including captain Harmanpreet Kaur, met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Rawal was seen wearing a medal. She revealed that one of the support staff had temporarily lent her their own medal because hers had not arrived on time.
Providing a welcome update, Rawal stated in an interview, "I have my own medal now. Jay sir (ICC chairman Jay Shah) has sent me a medal, someone told me. I was so happy but people made a big deal of it online, it will take some time but will come to me."
A Stellar Tournament Cut Short by Injury
Before her unfortunate exit, Pratika Rawal was a powerhouse at the top of the order. She formed a formidable opening partnership with Smriti Mandhana and was the team's second-highest run-scorer. Rawal finished the tournament with 308 runs in seven matches, boasting an impressive average of 51.33. Her performance included one century and a half-century, making her contribution invaluable to India's successful campaign.
Her tournament was cut short during a dead-rubber league match against Bangladesh, where she sustained an injury while fielding. With India already qualified for the semi-finals and Bangladesh knocked out, the match was ultimately washed out.
The Psychology of Handling Setbacks
Dealing with the crushing disappointment of missing the World Cup knock-out stages was a immense challenge. Rawal credits her Bachelor's degree in Psychology for giving her the tools to navigate her emotions effectively.
"I should not say I am a psychologist yet because I haven't completed my Masters' degree," she smiled. "But as someone who has studied psychology, it really helped me to understand human emotions better – including my own. The first thing is to accept what's happened. You can't undo it. Once I accepted the injury, I focused only on what I could control – recovery, sleep, nutrition, and supporting the team."
This pragmatic approach helped her avoid self-pity. She acknowledged the disappointment but emphasized the role of her strong support system—her father, coach Shravan Kumar, mother, and brother—in preventing a emotional breakdown and keeping her spirits high while she cheered for her teammates from the sidelines.
