Former India skipper Harmanpreet Kaur was the toast of the Women in Blue’s huge 121-run win over Zimbabwe in the second ODI of the three-game series. This match was played on October 25 in Baroda.
India batted first and posted a huge 328/6 in 50 overs, with Pratika Rawal scoring 61 runs while opening the innings. But Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma got out for single-digit scores, with the skipper getting out for a duck.
However, Harmanpreet Kaur made 126 runs with 15 fours, while Deepti Sharma made 106* in 88 balls with 15 fours.
In reply, Modester Mupachikwa made 49 and Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano made 46 runs, but Zimbabwe only managed 207 runs, losing the game by 121 runs and also going down 2-0 in the three-ODI series.
Harmanpreet Kaur was named the Player of the Match for her century and talked about the new reality of her life after stepping down from India captaincy across formats.
“I am someone who likes to live life close to reality. This is the reality now, and I want to accept it. Cricket is something that gives me happiness, and batting is something I have enjoyed throughout my career. Just want to enjoy batting,” Harmanpreet Kaur stated in the post-match presentation.
Harmanpreet's perspective on batting has not changed as a result of the shift in leadership duties. She clarified that rather than considering captaincy, her focus is still firmly on evaluating the situation, taking responsibility, and contributing in accordance with what the team requires.
“When you are batting, you don’t think about these things. You are batting as a batter, and you want to take responsibility and bat according to the situation. No matter the situation, I want to enjoy my batting," she said.
This was Harmanpreet’s 8th ODI ton, and she moved past Mithali Raj’s record of 7 tons for India into the second spot in the list for most centuries.
The century was achieved even though Harmanpreet was coping with health problems. She revealed that a mild fever the night before had made things difficult for her once the team came back onto the field, and that rest along with painkillers helped her cope with the discomfort.
“I had a mild fever last night, and that is why I was struggling when we came back to the field. Wanted to take some rest, and the painkillers are helping me," she said.
The third and final ODI of the series will be played on October 28 in Baroda.
(ANI inputs)
