Follow UsPratika Rawal can’t do anything wrong at the moment, as the Indian opener picked up her second ODI World Cup wicket, removing experienced Maddy Green, on October 23 (Thursday) during India’s clash against New Zealand. With no solid sixth bowling option, Indian skipper Harmanpreet Kaur didn’t have a choice but to toss the ball to opener Rawal.
The 25-year-old did no harm, striking in her second over of the day, outfoxing the experienced Maddy Green. Rawal’s setup was quite easy, as the off-spinner almost bowled it slower and as flat as possible, making Green take the risk. The New Zealand batter couldn’t get to the ball, as she heaved one straight into the hands of Kranti Goud.
In doing so, she became the first Indian batter to smash a century and pick a wicket in an ODI World Cup encounter, and the fourth Indian overall in WODIs to achieve that feat.
It wasn’t the first time that the off-spinner had bowled in this tournament, having already bowled the one over in the opening clash against Sri Lanka. In that clash, the 25-year-old picked up Sri Lanka’s No.11 batter, Inoka Ranaweera, with a fullish delivery that trapped her right in front of the wickets.
She is no mug with the ball either, as the off-spinner has picked up six wickets in her WODI career, averaging 30.00 with the ball. Earlier in the day, the opener smashed her second-highest WODI score, hitting a 134-ball 122, where she struck 13 fours and two sixes.
The win will all but confirm India’s place in the last four stages of the competition.