India’s captain Harmanpreet Kaur was in a zone of her own on Wednesday, smashing her fastest ever T20 International half-century and leading India to a dominant 82-run victory over Sri Lanka in the Women’s T20 World Cup in Dubai.
Known for her occasional inconsistency, Kaur was at her belligerent best, showcasing her power and precision against the Sri Lankan bowlers. She reached her fifty off just 27 balls, smashing a four off the final delivery of India’s innings, surpassing her previous fastest fifty of 29 balls, also achieved against Sri Lanka back in 2018. India’s total of 172 for three was the highest of the tournament so far.
“It was one of those days when I was in the zone,” Kaur said after the match. “I was thinking positively and hitting anything that was in my zone. These wickets aren’t very true for batting. You have to keep rotating strike and only when the ball is in the zone can you swing your bat.”
The foundation for India’s massive total was laid by a 98-run opening partnership between Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma. “We just wanted to go with the momentum. Smriti and Shafali gave us a very good start. We discussed that, we didn’t want to throw our wickets away. That’s exactly what the openers did and gave us that platform,” Kaur explained.
Kaur, batting at number three after coming in at four against Pakistan, combined with Jemimah Rodrigues to accelerate India’s run rate, scoring 7-8 runs an over. “Jemi (Jemimah Rodrigues) and I just wanted to get 7-8 runs an over, and we just went with the flow,” she added.
Harmanpreet Kaur’s explosive knock was a clear statement of intent from India, showcasing their dominance in the tournament. Her aggressive batting, combined with the solid foundation laid by the opening pair, ensured a comfortable victory for India, setting them up for a strong run in the Women’s T20 World Cup.
