Injured Cricketer Pratika Rawal Celebrates India's World Cup Glory from Wheelchair

On November 2nd, 2025, the Indian women's cricket team made history by winning their first-ever World Cup title, defeating South Africa by 52 runs. While the team celebrated their momentous victory, one player, Pratika Rawal, stood out among them.

Rawal, who had been ruled out of the tournament after the Bangladesh match due to an injury, was not going to miss the celebrations. She rolled out in a wheelchair, proudly draped in the Indian tricolor, to join her teammates in their historic moment.

Though Rawal couldn't feature in the final against the Proteas, she cherished being part of the victorious squad. "I can't put this feeling into words. This flag on my shoulder means everything, and standing here with the team feels surreal," she said.

Rawal had a memorable tournament, amassing 308 runs from seven matches at an average of 51.33 and a strike rate of 77.77. Her defining moment came against New Zealand, when she smashed 122 runs to help India recover after three consecutive defeats.

In the final, India posted 298 for seven after being asked to bat first. Shafali Verma led the way with a fluent 87, while Deepti Sharma chipped in with a valuable fifty. Deepti then starred with the ball, taking five wickets as India bundled out South Africa for 246 in 45.3 overs to seal a famous win.