New Delhi: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has apparently decided to make an exception and award a winner’s medal to Indian women’s team opener Pratika Rawal who was unable to play the semi-final and final matches of the World Cup due to an injury.
Pratika was in top form and had scored 308 runs in the six group stage matches, including a hundred and a fifty, at an average of 51.33. She was injured while fielding during the last group stage match against Bangladesh and was ruled out of the semi-final and final outings.
She was replaced by Shafali Verma who put up a wonderful performance in the final match against South Africa on Sunday, scoring 87 runs and taking two wickets.
According to ICC rules, medals are awarded to only the 15 players in the team. Hence, Pratika was left out as she had been replaced by Shafali.
This came as a disappointment for her as well as her fans who believe that she deserves the medal just as anyone else. After all, had it not been for her stellar performance in the group stage matches, India may not have made it to the finals.
When the winning squad led by captain Harmanpreet Kaur met Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his residence on Lok Kalyan Marg, New Delhi, and posed for a picture, a wheelchair-bound Pratika was present. There was also a medal around her neck.
This led to speculation that she has been awarded a medal by the ICC. However, it turned out that teammate Amanjot Kaur had lent her medal to Pratika as she would be in the front row while posing for a photograph with the Prime Minister. The photograph clearly showed Amanjot – another star performer in the final match – without her medal.
Rawal clarified during an interview with the CNN News18 that she would soon be getting a winner’s medal of her own, and that it was ICC chairman Jay Shah who facilitated it.
“Jay Shah texted our manager that he wants to make arrangements to get the medal for me. So, finally, I now do have my own medal,” she said.
She also told the channel that she teared up when she first saw the medal lent to her by Amanjot.
While some may accuse ICC and Shah of tweaking rules, netizens are certainly in favour of the decision as Pratika is a deserving candidate for the medal.
