Hard-hitting Harmanpreet Kaur is India's knight in shining armour

India beat defending champions Australia on Thursday, July 20, 2017, by 36 runs to storm into the finals of ICC Women’s World Cup 2017. And a significant role in the match was played by all-rounder Harmanpreet Kaur.

Harmanpreet smashed 20 fours and seven sixes in a whirlwind innings of 115 deliveries and scored 171 runs. And she thanks coach Kamaldeesh Singh Sodhi and his son Yadwinder Singh Sodhi for this.

Eldest daughter of volleyball and basketball player, Harmandar Bhullar, Harmanpreet would accompany her father to the Guru Nanak Stadium right opposite their house to play cricket with the local boys. A chance meeting with cricket coach Kamaldeesh Singh Sodhi saw her joining the Gian Jyoti School Academy. He said that in a match in Patiala, she broke the neighbors' windows. When they realised that a girl had hit those balls, they praised her for her skills.

She was also helped by her brother Gurjinder Singh who would take her to play with local boys in clubs and would help buy kits for her online. 

Harmanpreet was always a big hitter. She has also said that aggression is in her blood. The fours that she hit in the match are testament to that. Her go-to shot is the powerful sweep where she bends down to lift the ball high into the air towards the leg-side.

She also uses her powerful arms to send the ball straight over the wicket.

In Thursday’s match, she used was switch-foot to throw the bowler off, a technique made famous by AB de Villiers.

Last year Harmanpreet became the first Indian woman to play in the Women’s Big Bash League. It is said that a tweet by Australian cricket legend Adam Gilchrist about her that motivated her to take her match against Australia a lot more seriously.

Harmanpreet idolises Sehwag, and her batting on Thursday shows that she has learnt a lot from the former Indian opener.

Her knock was also praised by the male cricketers like Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli.

Incredible batting by @ImHarmanpreet! Come on India- Let's go out and win the second half of the game as well. #AUSvIND #WWC17 #WomenInBlue

— sachin tendulkar (@sachin_rt) July 20, 2017

What an innings by @ImHarmanpreet and a brilliant effort by the bowlers also so far.. #INDvAUS @BCCIWomen #ICCWomensWorldCup2017

— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) July 20, 2017

• Harmanpreet Kaur
• India
• Batswoman
• ICC Women's World Cup