GUWAHATI: Pratika Rawal etched her name into the record books on Tuesday, April 29, becoming the fastest batter to reach 500 runs in Women’s One-Day Internationals. The milestone came during India’s match against South Africa at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, part of the ongoing tri-nation series in Sri Lanka.
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Rawal reached the 500-run mark in just her eighth innings, surpassing England’s Charlotte Edwards, who had held the previous record of nine innings. Rawal achieved this in the fourth over of India’s innings, when she collected a single off Masabata Klaas after pulling a short-pitched delivery.
Opening the innings, the 24-year-old went on to score 78 off 91 balls, striking seven fours and a six. She brought up her half-century in 58 deliveries, reaching the milestone with a six. With this, Rawal also became only the second Indian woman, after Mithali Raj, to register five consecutive fifty-plus scores in ODIs.
Her streak began with an 89 against Ireland in Rajkot, followed by scores of 67 and 154 in the same series. She continued with an unbeaten 50 against Sri Lanka before her knock against South Africa. In eight innings so far, Rawal has accumulated 572 runs, including one century and five fifties, at an average exceeding 80.
India, meanwhile, comfortably chased down 148 against South Africa in 29.4 overs, losing only the wicket of Smriti Mandhana (43). Rawal and Harleen Deol (48 not out) ensured a clinical finish with an unbeaten stand.
Rawal made her ODI debut in December 2024 against the West Indies in Vadodara, replacing Shafali Verma at the top of the order. She scored 40, 76, and 18 in that series before making an impact against Ireland earlier this year. Her consistent performances have quickly elevated her to one of India’s most promising top-order batters.
With this world record, Rawal also overtakes Mithali Raj’s Indian record of reaching 500 ODI runs in 13 innings, and becomes the fastest Indian — across men’s and women’s ODIs — to reach the landmark, ahead of Shubman Gill’s 10 innings.
