Pratika Rawal makes T20I debut vs Thailand, earns reward for stellar ODI run

Women's Asia Cup, IND vs THA: Pratika Rawal makes her T20I debut against Thailand on Sunday after an impressive start to her ODI career, having scored 1,189 runs in 27 matches at an average of 47.56.Pratika Rawal made her T20I debut on Sunday. Courtesy: BCCI WomenPratika Rawal has received her maiden T20I cap from India captain Harmanpreet Kaur and has made her international debut in the shortest format against Thailand in the Women’s Asia Cup match on Sunday. The 25-year-old’s inclusion comes after an outstanding start to her ODI career, where she has quickly established herself as one of India’s most dependable batters at the top of the order.Rawal made her ODI debut against West Indies in December 2024 and has since produced remarkable numbers. She has scored 1,189 runs in 27 ODIs at an average of 47.56, including two centuries and seven fifties. Her highest score is 154, while she also became the fastest Indian woman to reach 500 ODI runs, achieving the milestone in just eight innings.India vs Thailand, Women's T20 World Cup UpdatesHer rise continued during the 2025 ODI World Cup, where she scored her maiden World Cup century against New Zealand. She also became the joint-fastest woman to reach 1,000 ODI runs, achieving the feat in 23 innings. PRATIKA GETS A CHANCE TO ANSWER CRITICS Pratika Rawal got her cap from Harmanpreet Kaur. Courtesy: BCCI Women While her ODI record is impressive, Rawal’s selection for the T20I side has attracted some criticism, particularly because of her scoring rate in the format. She has played 24 T20s, scoring 574 runs at an average of 24.96 and a strike rate of 105.32, with five fifties and a highest score of 76.The right-hander has not played a T20 match since 2024. She was also part of the UP Warriorz squad for the 2026 Women’s Premier League but did not feature as she continued her recovery from injury. Rawal’s T20I opportunity has also come after Jemimah Rodrigues was ruled out with an injury. Now, with a maiden cap in hand, she will have a chance to turn her ODI success into T20I impact.With India looking to begin their Asia Cup campaign strongly, Rawal’s debut adds another intriguing storyline. Can she silence the doubters and make an immediate impact in her first T20I?Playing XIs for India vs ThailandIndia: Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana, Pratika Rawal, Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), Bharti Fulmali, Richa Ghosh (wk), Deepti Sharma, Prema Rawat, N Shree Charani, Kranti Gaud, Nandani SharmaThailand: Aphisara Suwanchonrathi, Nattakan Chantam, Phannita Maya, Nannapat Koncharoenkai(w), Chanida Sutthiruang, Naomi Hamilton, Suleeporn Laomi, Nannaphat Chaihan, Sunida Chaturongrattana, Thipatcha Putthawong(c), Onnicha Kamchomphu- EndsPublished By: sabyasachi chowdhuryPublished On: Aug 30, 2026 19:53 IST