Throwback to when Harmanpreet Kaur wrecked Australia in the 2017 World Cup semi-final
Team India will be clashing with the seven-time World Champions Australia in the second semi-final of the ongoing ICC Women’s ODI World Cup. This is not the first time that the two teams are meeting in the semi-final of the tournament. Back in 2017, these two powerhouses collided in a clash that was defined by India’s current skipper, Harmanpreet Kaur’s resounding knock.
A knock that single-handedly saw India storm into the finals only to suffer a heartbreak, owing to a late collapse, still remains one of the finest ODI knocks to have been ever played. Kaur, herself who was playing under the leadership of Mithali Raj, opened up a new brand of aggression that has grown by leaps and bounds in recent times.
Winning the toss, India opted to bat first and found themselves in early trouble. Smriti Mandhana (6) and Punam Raut (14) were back to the pavilion in quick succession, reducing India to 35/2. That is when Harmanpreet Kaur stepped up and joined forces with Mithali Raj.
The two wreaked absolute havoc as Kaur led the charge from the front. Despite losing Mithali Raj for a warring 36, India rode high on the shoulders of Harmanpreet Kaur, who was running an absolute riot in the County Ground in Derby.
A knock that saw all Aussie bowlers being pummelled ruthlessly to the ropes comprised 20 fours and seven sixes. The innings had the deja-vu of Kapil Dev’s 175 against Zimbabwe, bailing India out from an unprecedented quagmire. Kaur had support from Deepti Sharma and Veda Krishnamurthy but she single-handedly dismantled the Aussie bowling.
By the time she was done, India had amassed 281/4 from 42 overs as rain had a part to play. She stayed unbeaten for 171 from just 115 balls, aggression that was still fairly new to the overall women’s cricketing circuit. This innings sparked a revolution that started disseminating itself in bits and pieces to all corners of the nation.
Now India has a Richa Ghosh, a well-established Smriti Mandhana, a deadly Deepti Sharma and if the heavens smile, an all-firing Shafali Verma too who will be a part of the squad for the semi-final but back then, India was just taking baby steps. The innings played by Harmanpreet Kaur was rock-solid and laid the foundation of something incredible. The Indian bowlers pulled off a phenomenal job as they bundled out Australia for 245.
Well, India might not need another of those tempests from Harmanpreet Kaur to secure a win but when it comes to Australia, they will need everyone to come together. In the last two encounters that India played against the Aussies, they came mighty close. First in New Delhi, they pushed Australia to the very corners chasing a monumental total of 412. Then in the follow-up game which was in the World Cup, India piled up 330 and Australia survived a late scare to walk away with the bragging rights.
It won’t be easy for the Women in Blue but they have been racking up some serious momentum ahead of the semi-final, which might be a major boost. Harmanpreet or not, India will be hoping to pull off a stunner against the seven-time world conquerors.
