Harmanpreet Kaur has been a stalwart of the ind women match team ever since she made her debut in 2009. The dynamic middle-order batter and part-time off-break bowler took over the captaincy from Mithali Raj in 2022 and has led the team admirably since then.
Kaur is known for her aggression and clean ball-striking ability. When she gets going, she has the ability to take the game away from the opposition in a matter of overs. You’ll explore 5 innings where she dazzled with a bat and made the huge impact:
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171* versus Australians in the 2017 Women’s Cricket World Cup semi-final
Harmanpreet Kaur’s unbeaten 171 versus Australia in the year 2017 Women’s Cricket World Cup semi-final will go down as among the all-time great ODI innings. This was an extremely high pressure game with India chasing 229 runs to book their spot in the final. India got off to a shaky start, losing two early wickets with just 35 runs on the board. This brought Kaur to the crease when the team needed a big partnership.
What transpired over the next 115 balls was an incredible display of power hitting and clean ball striking from Kaur. She started steadily and then launched a ferocious attack on the Australian bowlers, smashing 20 fours and 7 towering sixes all around the ground. Kaur displayed immaculate timing as she effortlessly found the gaps and cleared the ropes multiple times during her innings. She was severe on anything overpitched or short, dispatching the ball to all parts of the ground.
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103 off 51 balls against New Zealand in the 2018 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup
This sensational century by Harmanpreet Kaur against New Zealand in the 2018 T20 World Cup was a testament to her tremendous hitting power and ability to change the course of a game. Coming in to bat when India were 94/2 in the 13th over, Kaur unleashed a stunning onslaught of boundaries and massive sixes. She smashed the Kiwi bowlers to all parts of the ground, scoring at a strike rate of over 200.
Her century came off just 49 balls, making it the fastest hundred in women’s T20Is. Kaur displayed ruthless aggression, hitting 8 fours and 7 sixes during her 51-ball 103. She was severe on the short ball, pulling and cutting ferociously. The New Zealand spinners also came in for harsh treatment as Kaur repeatedly came down the track to hit them for sixes over long-on and long-off. She also innovated well, playing various reverse sweeps and scoops over short fine leg. India needed a steady start to chase it down. Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur provided just that with a brilliantly paced knock of 104 off 100 balls.
This sensational knock enabled India to post an imposing 194/5, their highest T20I total back then. Kaur also became the first Indian woman to reach 3000 T20I runs during this innings. Thanks to her blitzkrieg, India successfully defended their total to complete the highest successful chase in women’s T20Is at the time. Kaur’s power hitting demoralized New Zealand and made a strong statement about her big match temperament. This incredible century underlined her status as one of the most dangerous batters in women’s cricket.
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96 off 104 balls in the 2020 Women’s T20 World Cup final against Australia
The 2020 T20 World Cup final between India and Australia was a landmark moment for women’s cricket, with Melbourne Cricket Ground hosting the match on International Women’s Day. Chasing 185 for their maiden global title, India lost wickets early and were reduced to 56/3 in the 11th over. This brought vice-captain Harmanpreet Kaur to the crease under immense pressure.
What followed was a masterclass in pacing a T20 innings perfectly. Kaur started cautiously and focused on rebuilding the innings after the early blows. She rotated strike adeptly and kept the scoreboard moving by finding the gaps. As she settled in, Kaur started playing more expansive shots, using her feet against the spinners. She hit the bad balls to the boundary but ensured she kept her wicket intact.
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123 off 119 balls against Sri Lanka in 2022
Harmanpreet Kaur’s run-a-ball 123 against Sri Lanka in Pallekele in 2022 was her first century as captain of the Indian women’s team. With this knock, Kaur showed she could lead from the front and take responsibility when the team was in trouble. Batting first, India were 74/3 when Kaur came out to bat. The early loss of wickets meant she had to rebuild the innings first. Kaur started cautiously and focused on rotating the strike. Once set, she started playing more freely and found the gaps to keep the scoreboard ticking. Her shot selection was excellent as she pierced the field perfectly to find boundaries.
Kaur was in complete control throughout her innings, displaying a wide range of strokes on both sides of the wicket. She drove, cut and pulled elegantly, keeping the Sri Lankan bowlers under pressure. She was equally comfortable against pace and spin, using her feet well against the spinners. Kaur remained not out till the end, having faced 119 balls and hit 15 fours along with 1 six.
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104 off 100 balls against England in the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games
The 2022 Commonwealth Games semi-final between India and England was a high stakes match, with the winner assured of a medal. Set a target of 162, India needed a steady start to chase it down. Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur provided just that with a brilliantly paced knock of 104 off 100 balls.
Walking in at no.4 after the fall of two early wickets, Kaur sized up the conditions and match situation perfectly. She started off playing risk-free cricket, taking singles and rotating the strike. Kaur was content defended the good balls while keeping the scoreboard ticking with ones and twos. Gradually as she settled in, she started piercing the gaps to find the occasional boundary.
Conclusion
These 5 innings demonstrate Harmanpreet Kaur’s class and ability to produce match-winning performances under pressure consistently. She has a wide range of strokes and the power to clear the boundary frequently once set. As seen in cricket match womens, Kaur combines aggression with clever match awareness and the situational needs of the team. Her appetite for big scores has seen her batting averages soar over the years in T20Is and ODIs
