Pratika Rawal opens up on missing World Cup medal journey

Sports

Updated on Nov - 07 - 2025, 11:27 AM

Pratika Rawal, a rising star in Indian women’s cricket, recently broke her silence on the long-pending issue of her ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 medal and she made it clear: support from Jay Shah played a pivotal role in making sure she finally got recognised. 

Rawal revealed that she was assured by Shah that the medal would arrive, even if it took some time a promise she held onto during the limbo. Quote: “Jay Shah told us that he is asking the ICC if they can send a medal. So that medal is going to take some while, to reach me. So, one of the support staff gave me their medal to wear for now. Consider that I have my own.” 

Her words underscore two themes: recognition delayed, but not denied; and institutional support cut through bureaucratic logistics. Rawal’s journey to this moment wasn’t straightforward. Having been part of the historic Indian team that clinched the World Cup title, she nevertheless found herself in the unusual position of waiting for the medal that symbolised their collective triumph. 

The situation perhaps reflects broader issues in sport: how behind-the-scenes politics, archival record-keeping and badge distribution can be messy even when the heroics on the field are unambiguous. For Rawal, it clearly meant a period of uncertainty. But her public remarks show grace rather than bitterness: she accepted the delay and shared credit with those who intervened on her behalf.

Importantly, this story is not just about a medal. It’s about recognition for an athlete who contributed to a milestone event for women’s cricket in India. The fact that her medal was secured through advocacy and then acknowledged publicly signals a shift in how athletes’ rights to recognition are being safeguarded.

For Rawal’s fans and the cricket fraternity, her statement offers relief and a sense of justice. She is now publicly “all smiles” at receiving the award, and the narrative has shifted from oversight to celebration. 

In her own words, the medal is “on the way” and more than that, it now carries the symbolism of perseverance, fairness and institutional backing. For young cricketers watching, the message resonates: performance matters, but advocacy and recognition often walk hand-in-hand.

Pratika Rawal’s journey from waiting for her medal to celebrating its presentation underscores both the triumph of sport and the importance of fair recognition behind the scenes.