India opener earns praise following latest match-winning heroics

Sri Lanka v India, Scorecard

Inexperienced India opener Pratika Rawal continues to earn praise after she registered another Player of the Match performance for her side in their comprehensive victory over Sri Lanka on Sunday.

Pratika was playing in just her seventh international contest, but the 24-year-old displayed her class with a stylish unbeaten half-century that helped India to an easy nine-wicket triumph over Sri Lanka in the tri-series opener in Colombo.

It follows up Pratika's superb 154 against Ireland in Rajkot at the start of the year and has the right-hander on the brink of becoming the fastest women to score 500 ODI runs.

India captain Harmanpreet Kaur has been suitably impressed with Pratika's run of form and believes the future is bright for the youngster.

"She has been really great for us, and last few games she's shown us that she's taking that responsibility. Every match she's playing a special knock and I'm really happy to see her best is coming for the team," Harmanpreet said.

Pratika now just needs six more runs in her next ODI contest to become the fastest woman to 500 ODI runs and in the process break the long-standing record of England great Charlotte Edwards who reached the feat in nine ODI matches.

The potential record is not the immediate focus for Pratika, who is instead concentrating on playing her part in India's path towards their home ICC Women's Cricket World Cup campaign at the end of the year.

"It's years of hard work that's coming into place now. I'm very lucky, very fortunate I got this opportunity," she said.

"I'm just trying to play on the merit of the ball, nothing more goes into my mind. I'm very lucky that I have a partner like Smriti (Mandhana), who just makes the game so easy and I just have to play the ball according to merit. It makes my job very easy."

Pratika may get the chance to claim the batting record when India take on South Africa in their next tri-series assignment in Colombo on Tuesday.