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India Women opener Pratika Rawal spoke on her shoulder contact with England Women players in the first WODI played at The Ageas Bowl. Rawal faced a penalty and also got one demerit point by the International Cricket Council (ICC). Earlier, cricket’s apex-body also imposed a 10 percent match-fee fine and handed a demerit point to the young batter for contravening its Code of Conduct. The ICC remarked that the 24-year-old got involved in ‘avoidable physical contact’ with England stalwarts Lauren Filer and Sophie Ecclestone.
Rawal, on the eve of the second game, interacted with the media and said that she didn’t collide with both English players deliberately. "It was not intentional. I was just running in my way and that shoulder barge thing was completely out of... It was not deliberate in that sense. I don't think there is a (need to have a) reaction to it or maybe (make) a fuss out of it. It was not intentional," said Rawal. Along with Pratika, England also paid a five-percent fine of their match fee for maintaining a slow over-rate during the game held in Southampton.
India will look to win second WODI to seal the series
After winning the first match convincingly by four wickets, India will endeavour to take the momentum ahead and hammer the hosts again in the second game, set to be played at the iconic Lord’s on July 19. If India succeed in beating the home side on Saturday, they will take an unassailable lead of 2-0.
India’s batting-unit looked completely disciplined in the first match. Middle-order batters Jemimah Rodrigues and Deepti Sharma played match-winning knocks of 48 and unbeaten 62 respectively, to help the visitors win the game comfortably. Talking about Pratika’s performance, she also looked decent and produced a 31-run innings off 51 balls. Her knock was studded with three fours.
