Harmanpreet Kaur was at her brutal best in Canterbury. The Indian skipper hit sixes at will, scored a brilliant 143, and led the team to a stunning 88-run win over England in the second ODI on Tuesday. It was a special innings for the sheer audacity and power it brought to the team’s momentum. As a result, Indian women posted their all-time high score of 333/5, thanks to the captain’s belligerent innings.
171* vs Australia and 143* vs England – two best sides in Women's cricket history and Harmanpreet Kaur has two innings to cherish for lifetime. pic.twitter.com/4Ti2u5L8g2
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) September 22, 2022
The 33-year-old Indian smashed 43 runs in her last 11 balls. She hit sixes and fours at will as England bowlers appeared clueless on the field. Earlier, Harman posted an unbeaten 71 not out in the first match to complement Smriti Mandhana’s outstanding 91 as India won by seven wickets. With back-to-back-match winning innings, Harman has filled the void in the middle-order after Mithali Raj’s retirement.
Why Harmanpreet Kaur is a key member of the Indian team?
Harmanpreet Kaur rose to fame after a memorable century (171) against Australia in the 2017 ICC Women’s World Cup. The dashing batter hit monstrous blows in that whirlwind knock to take India to the final. Harman scored a fifty in the final, albeit in a losing cause.
Two games and two clinical wins for India. @ImHarmanpreet was just spectacular with her knock…one to remember for a long time!
Well played to win the series and now let's aim for a clean sweep. 🇮🇳#ENGWvINDW pic.twitter.com/I61fpDvFGV— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) September 22, 2022
Of late, India faced a lack of power hitters. Harman and Co. are trying to fill the void by experimenting with several youngsters. Some of them, like Yastika Bhatia and Harleen Deol, are already impacting the ground.
An incredible team effort to power India to a first series win in England in 23 years. What a knock by @ImHarmanpreet. Simply amazing. Lord's, next. Looking forward to ending the series on a positive note. We march on ✨ #ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/dJkcX3dx6U
— Smriti Mandhana (@mandhana_smriti) September 22, 2022
In Harman, Indian eves have a bankable hitter and an able finisher like how the Indian men’s team had MS Dhoni over the years. The issue with Kaur has been about consistency. However, Harman of late has been improving on the conversion rate and has taken up her roles seriously.
Can India win the next World Cup with Harman?
Indian white ball captain bats at No.4 in ODIs and T20Is. She brings to the table a wide range of strokes, and her powerful hitting is a vital asset to the team.
Harmanpreet Kaur in post match interview after won a Historic ODI series win in England after 23 years and her 143* runs innings and also she talked about Jhulan Goswami's retirement and her contribution for India. pic.twitter.com/m52NcORH0L
— CricketMAN2 (@ImTanujSingh) September 22, 2022
Harman is already 33 years old. The Indian batter is going to be 37 during the next 50 Over World Cup. However, the Punjab-born cricketer can take a cue from her seniors Mithali Raj and Jhulan Goswami who played international cricket till their late 30s.
