Snehasis Mukherjee in Sharjah
It was 6 pm UAE time yesterday when Team India skipper Harmanpreet Kaur arrived at the pre-match press conference at the iconic Sharjah Cricket Stadium ahead of today’s clash against Australia. However, the way she walked to the table raised concerns among those present. With a strap on her left knee and assistance from the media manager, questions about her fitness were inevitable.
The first question, naturally, was about her fitness and availability for the crucial match after seeing her limping slightly. Harmanpreet quickly dismissed any worries, saying, “I was not limping. I did not expect these kinds of floors here, so I needed some help. Otherwise, I am all fine.” She later proved her point with an impressive showing in the nets.
Both Harmanpreet and Jemimah Rodrigues, India’s number three and four batters, faced bowlers like Pooja Vastrakar, Shreyanka Patil, and some net bowlers during practice. Harmanpreet looked in tremendous form, coming down the track and driving the ball straight down the ground. Under the lights, at least on the practice pitch, the ball seemed to come nicely onto the bat, allowing her to execute those aggressive shots.
During the press conference, Harmanpreet mentioned that after watching some matches at this stadium, they expected the ball to grip and arrive late. However, during the practice session, the batters felt the ball was coming on nicely. Fans were also curious about her recent shift to number three in the batting order during the warm-up games and the opening match against New Zealand, where she failed to score, leading to some frustration.
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In the match against Pakistan, she contributed crucial runs (29*), batting from number four, helping the team secure victory. This left fans wondering whether she would continue at number four or return to the number three position. Against Sri Lanka, back in the number three spot, she rose to the occasion, scoring a brilliant 52* off 27 balls in a vintage Harmanpreet Kaur performance.
Harmanpreet has played the most T20Is against Australia in her career (33), scoring 789 runs in 31 innings at an average of 27.20, with four fifties. In six T20 World Cup matches against them, she has accumulated 143 runs at an average of 23.83 and a strike rate of 114.40, with one fifty, which came in the last edition, although in a losing cause (52 off 34 balls).
As a leader and the most experienced player, Harmanpreet will need to guide her team from the front today. She also fondly recalled Sachin Tendulkar’s legendary knock, known as the ‘Desert Storm,’ when asked about her memories of Sharjah. “When I grew up, we obviously saw that great knock from Sachin sir, and it always comes to mind when I think of this stadium,” she said.
Those two iconic centuries (143 off 131 and 134 off 131) where Sachin dominated Australia and helped India win the prestigious Coca-Cola Cup remain etched in cricket history. Can Harmanpreet draw inspiration from that and lead India to victory against the Aussies? Time will tell, but the stage is set, and this is the moment for her to showcase her brilliance once again on the world stage.
Also Read: Can India Halt Australia’s Domination?