Ton-up skipper Harmanpreet Kaur wants Indian fans to appreciate her team’s ODI series-winning effort after T20I triumph on English soil. Kaur’s love for England is well known as she had registered her highest ODI score of 171 not out at Derby in 2017 and 143 not out at Canterbury in 2022
Captain Harmanpreet Kaur (centre) lifts the trophy to celebrate India’s ODI series win over England with teammates on Tuesday. Pic/Getty Images
Harmanpreet Kaur, who was under tremendous pressure following a string of low scores on the tour of England, redeemed herself in the final game at Chester-le-Street in Durham. Everything went right for her on Tuesday as she first won the crucial toss in the third and final ODI against England, then she scored a brilliant century (102) to help India post a massive total, and finally took the last catch that saw the visitors defeat England by 13 runs to clinch the ODI series 2-1. As this Indian women’s team had already beaten the hosts 3-2 in theT20I series previously, this is the first time India have swept both the white-ball series in a single tour. In 2022, they had won the ODI series 3-0 but, lost the T20I series 1-2.
Poor run of scores initially
Kaur’s love for England is well known as she had registered her highest ODI score of 171 not out at Derby in 2017 and 143 not out at Canterbury in 2022. But somehow she kept getting out without a substantial score on the current tour and that gave rise to murmurs in the media that she was well past her best. But that match-winning knock has shut down all negative talks about her. Talking at the post-match media conference, she said: “In all the matches, I wanted to give my best in batting, but today’s game was very important to us. The plan was to spend some time on the wicket. That really worked for me. The first [few] balls, I didn’t get any runs, but then I was just talking to myself: ‘I’m not going to lose myself, just be there for the team.’ ”
By reaching her century in 82 balls, Kaur surpassed her 87-ball effort against South Africa last year as the second-fastest for her country in women’s ODIs after Smriti Mandhana’s century off just 70 balls against Ireland earlier this year. She also became the third Indian to pass 4000 runs in women’s ODIs.
Impressive Kranti picks 6-52
She also praised the effort of young pace bowler Kranti Goud, who claimed 6-52 to vanquish the England batting. “She’s been really impressive whenever she’s on the field and bowling for the team.
I’m really happy with her bowling today. Whenever we needed a breakthrough, she was there for the team,” Kaur said.
Concluding the tour with a century and double series wins, Kaur can look with confidence to the ODI series back home against Australia and then the two World Cups in a matter of a few months, the ODI World Cup in India and Sri Lanka in September this year, and the T20I World Cup in England in June 2026. “Our team has been really working hard for so many years and this is the time when we are getting the results. We only talk about playing good cricket and we know the kind of talent we have in our side. It’s only about using the right talent at the right time and getting the best out of them.
“I’m really happy. The girls have a positive mindset and are working hard on their fitness. We have understood a lot of things in the last few years, Now, we’re trying to set a benchmark and get into a position where people can talk about women’s cricket and take it seriously back home. We know how much people love cricket back home, and also want us to do well.”
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