New Delhi, Friday, November 7 – Indian cricketer Pratika Rawal will officially receive her Women’s World Cup winner’s medal after BCCI Secretary Jay Shah’s intervention, ending days of public debate over medal eligibility for injured players.
Speaking to the media, Rawal confirmed the development, saying, “Jay Shah intervened and told us he wants to make sure I get a medal of my own. It is on the way. I will get it soon.”
Rawal’s appearance with the medal in the official team photograph with President Droupadi Murmu had already sparked speculation that the ICC may have softened its stance on medal distribution rules. According to ICC guidelines, only players named in the final 15-member squad for the championship match are eligible to receive the medal.
During India’s victory celebrations at DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai, Rawal — seen in a wheelchair draped in the Indian flag — was initially left out of the medal ceremony, having been replaced by Shafali Verma in the knockout stages following an injury sustained during the league match against Bangladesh.
The turning point came earlier this week, when the World Cup-winning team met President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan. In a photograph released later, Rawal was seen wearing the World Cup medal, symbolizing a powerful gesture of acknowledgment for her contribution to India’s championship run.
Though the ICC and BCCI have not released official statements, the move has been widely praised by fans, players, and cricketing experts as a just and emotional decision recognizing Rawal’s impact during India’s title-winning campaign.
Interestingly, this is not the first instance of such an omission. During the 2003 Men’s ODI World Cup, Australian pacer Jason Gillespie missed out on a winner’s medal despite his contributions before injury ruled him out mid-tournament.
Meanwhile, before meeting the President, the Indian women’s team also visited Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Lok Kalyan Marg, where they presented him with a team jersey signed by all World Cup-winning players.
