India top-order batter Pratika Rawal has signed with Warwickshire Bears until the end of the 2026 season, giving the county side a major boost for the second half of their One-Day Cup campaign. The 25-year-old batter will be available for Warwickshire from their next round of One-Day Cup matches, which begins on August 19.
Rawal’s move to Warwickshire comes as she prepares to return to competitive cricket after missing India’s Lord’s Test against England earlier this month because of an injury. She suffered the injury while playing for India A in their second one-day match against England A in Taunton on July 1.
The injury meant Rawal could not take part in the Test at Lord’s, but she is now set to return to action. Her move to Warwickshire will give her the chance to regain match fitness while also gaining valuable experience of playing domestic cricket in England.
Rawal said she was happy to join Warwickshire and was looking forward to helping the team during the remaining part of the season. “I’m really pleased to be joining Warwickshire,” Rawal said in a statement. “I’ve heard so many good things about the club, and I’m excited to get started and to try and help the team as much as I can.
“It’s going to be a great experience for me to test myself playing in England. Walking out at Edgbaston, which is such an iconic ground in world cricket, is also something I’m looking forward to.”
The opportunity to play at Edgbaston will be a special part of Rawal’s county experience. The famous Birmingham ground has hosted many important international matches over the years, and Rawal will now have the chance to represent Warwickshire there as the team looks to finish its One-Day Cup campaign strongly.
Warwickshire currently sit fifth in the One-Day Cup points table and are only two points behind Durham in third place. The competition format gives them a clear opportunity to move into the qualification race. The team that finishes third will play an eliminator against the second-placed side, with the winner then facing the league leaders in the final.
With the battle for the top positions still open, Warwickshire will hope Rawal’s arrival can add greater strength to their batting line-up during the important final stage of the competition.
Warwickshire Bears Women head coach Ali Maiden welcomed the signing and believes Rawal’s quality and international experience can make a difference to the team.
“This is a fantastic signing for the team, and we’re very pleased to be able to welcome Pratika to Edgbaston,” Ali Maiden, Warwickshire Bears Women head coach, said. “We’re in a good position in the One Day Cup table as it stands, so bringing in a player of the calibre of Pratika can only strengthen our line-up as we look to finish the season on a positive note.”
Pratika Rawal has quickly become an important part of India’s batting group since making her international debut on December 22, 2024, against the West Indies. Across her first 24 Women’s ODIs, she has scored 1,110 runs at an excellent average of 50.45, including two centuries and seven half-centuries. Her ability to score consistently at the top of the order and play long, steady innings has made her a valuable player in India’s plans.
She has also broken major records during her rapid rise, becoming the fastest woman to reach 500 ODI runs, achieving the milestone in just eight innings, and the fastest Indian woman to reach 1,000 ODI runs, doing so in 23 innings.
Rawal has already produced several memorable performances on the international stage. The right-handed batter scored her maiden Women’s Cricket World Cup century during India’s successful 2025 campaign, making 122 against New Zealand and finishing the tournament with 308 runs at an average of 51.33 before an injury ruled her out of the knockout stages.
She has continued to show her ability across formats, including on her Test debut against Australia in March 2026, when she scored a fighting 63 in the second innings at the WACA in Perth. Her career-best ODI score remains her outstanding 154 from 129 balls against Ireland in January 2025, an innings that announced her arrival as one of India’s most promising young batters and remains one of the standout maiden centuries in women’s ODI cricket.
Her time with Warwickshire will also give Rawal the chance to understand English conditions better. Regular county cricket can help her become more comfortable with different pitches, bowling attacks and match situations, while also preparing her for future international assignments.
For Warwickshire, the signing comes at an important point in the season. With the team close to the top three, every remaining match will be important. Adding an international batter of Rawal’s ability could improve their chances of moving up the table and competing for the One-Day Cup title.
Rawal will now focus on completing her recovery and preparing for her Warwickshire debut on August 19. Her return will be watched closely by Indian cricket fans, while Warwickshire will hope their new signing can make an immediate impact and help the Bears finish the 2026 season on a high.
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