Internet Desk: India skipper Mithali Raj lauded Harmanpreet Kaur’s blistering innings of 171* as the “greatest knock by an India women player” and added that a “big performance” like that from the vice-captain of the team was much needed to outrun the “champion side like Australia” in the second semifinal of Women’s World Cup.
Harmanpreet played a blistering knock of 171 runs in just 115 deliveries, which is the highest individual score by any male or female cricketer in a stage like World Cup knockout. Her brilliant innings helped India to beat the defending Champions by 36 runs at the County Ground in Derby on Thursday.
While talking to the media at the post-match press conference, Raj said that Harmanpreet’s knowledge of playing the Aussie bowlers in the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL), helped the Women in Blue to win the semi-final.
“I think the transformation [has come] after she played in the WBBL,” she said. “That exposure she and Smriti (Mandhana) got by interacting with other players has been massive. As I mentioned in the last press meet, against Australia it was they who were giving us more inputs about these players.”
“If more players are a part of these leagues where they exchange ideas and follow the routine of other players, being part of the meetings, it will only help improve the standard of women’s cricket, as well as it’s very beneficial for youngsters and players from Indian team,” Raj added.
In the game against the Blackcaps at first everybody thought India could only manage to reach 220 but Veda Krishnamurthy’s brilliant 70 of 45 deliveries helped India to reach a respective score of 265. Her partnership with Harmanpreet gave the Indian women’s their much needed momentum and they defeated New Zealand in a do or die match to qualify for the semifinals.
“The game against New Zealand, she had runs as well as Veda had runs. They backed themselves to make fifty and those runs gave them confidence,” Raj said.
“Had they not scored those runs, it would have been a different picture today. All said and done, everything happens for a reason and good. It was needed, and this knock will give her confidence tomorrow when she is in a position to take more responsibility as a batter. She will be in better shape and experience to take along,” she added.
The 34-year-old veteran cricketer heaped praise of her team’s qualification to the World Cup final.
“I am speechless. For me, Jhulan Goswami, it is very special because we are the two players from 2005 who have been with the team and it feels like just going back to 2005. I am just too happy that girls have given us the opportunity again to be a part of the World Cup finals,” she said.