Harmanpreet Kaur's Stellar Performance Revives India's ODI Hopes Ahead of World Cup
Harmanpreet Kaur's Comeback Performance
Durham [UK], July 23: Indian women's cricket team captain Harmanpreet Kaur recently shared insights into her strategies for regaining her form, especially with the Women's ODI World Cup approaching on September 30.
The series was tied at 1-1 as the teams moved to Chester-le-Street for the final ODI. Harmanpreet opened her account with a stunning cover drive off left-arm spinner Linsey Smith on her 11th ball.
This century marked her seventh in ODIs and her first in 13 innings. Following a strong 54 in a warm-up match against an ECB Development XI, her highest score in the white-ball series against England had been just 26, achieved in the fourth T20I.
“I aimed to perform my best in every match, but today was crucial for us. My strategy was to settle in and then assess the situation. That approach paid off. I didn’t score in the first ten balls, but I kept reminding myself to stay focused and support my team,” Harmanpreet stated, as reported by ESPNcricinfo.
She reached her century in just 84 balls, surpassing her previous record of 87 balls against South Africa last year, setting a new benchmark for the second-fastest century by an Indian woman in ODIs. Only Smriti Mandhana's 70-ball century against Ireland earlier this year stands ahead of her. Additionally, Harmanpreet became the third Indian woman to surpass 4000 runs in ODIs.
While Harmanpreet shone with the bat, 21-year-old seamer Kranti Goud made headlines with her impressive six-wicket haul in just her fifth ODI. She recorded figures of 6/52, helping to restrict England to 305 runs, just short of the 319-run target. Goud is now the second-youngest player to achieve a five-wicket haul in women's ODIs, following Deepti Sharma.
“Kranti has consistently impressed with her performances on the field. I’m thrilled with her bowling today; she was pivotal whenever we needed a breakthrough,” Harmanpreet praised Goud.
India's total of 318/5 is the second-highest score by a visiting team in England, following their 333/5 in Canterbury in 2022. This match marked India's fifth total of over 300 in ODIs in 2025. Looking ahead, India faces a challenging three-match ODI series just before the World Cup. However, Harmanpreet remains optimistic about the tour, which also included a 3-2 T20I series victory.
“I’m really pleased. The team is adopting a positive mindset and working diligently on their fitness. We’ve learned a lot over the past few years, and we’re striving to elevate our game to a level where women’s cricket is taken seriously back home, as we know how passionate our fans are about the sport,” she concluded.