Harmanpreet Kaur delivered a stellar performance, guiding Mumbai Indians (MI) to a thrilling 4-wicket victory over Delhi Capitals (DC) in the opening match of the Women’s Premier League 2024 (WPL 2024) at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.

Before her standout performance on Friday, February 23, Harmanpreet struggled for runs, as she managed only 26 runs across 6 innings in the recent multi-format series against Australia, before taking a short break from the game to freshen up.

However, in the WPL 2024 opener against DC, the MI skipper showcased her true potential, scoring a remarkable 55 runs off 34 balls, including seven fours and a six, to take her team to a thrilling victory. After the game, Kaur attributed her resurgence to the guidance of one of her coaches, who supported her during difficult times.

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Harmanpreet Kaur said in the post-match presentation ceremony: “Happy where we ended. Really happy with the way we played. I would love to give credit to my batting coach, Himanshu bhaiya. After that Australia tour, I was not confident, he made me practice hard and gave me energy. I was not playing domestic cricket, I was not feeling great. Mentally that break helped me.”

In a tense moment with 5 runs required off 2 balls, Harmanpreet attempted a big shot but was dismissed by Alice Capsey. However, it was Sajeevan Sajana, making her WPL debut, stepping up to the occasion, as she smashed Capsey for a six down the ground to clinch the game for MI.

Hailing Sajana for her batting excellence, the MI skipper said: “We thought if we take the game deep, we can win the game. Sajana has been smashing sixes throughout the practice sessions, and she showed what she is capable of (tonight).”

Harmanpreet signed off by saying, “We had depth in our batting, and because of Sajana, I am standing here (smiles). We wanted to chase because of the conditions.”