NewDelhi: Harmanpreet Kaur lit up the County Ground in Derby on Thursday as she blasted 171 not out off 115 balls in the second semi-final of the ICC Women’s World Cup against Australia. Expectedly, the 28-year-old Indian middle-order batswoman is the toast of one and all in the country as the team has a fair shot at its first-ever World Cup crown come Sunday.
India will be taking on England at Lord’s in London. It is expected to be a fairly competitive match as hosts England are three-time World Champions. On the other hand, India will have confidence from the fact that they beat England by 35 runs in the league stage of the tournament earlier on June 24.
But coming back to our protagonist Harmanpreet. She played what is being hailed as arguably the greatest knock by an Indian in a World Cup. She dazzled at the crease, smoking 20 fours and seven sixes. Coming in at 35 for two in the 10th over, she helped India reach 281 for four in 42 overs after the team elected to bat (the match was reduced to 42 overs a side due to rain).
Her knock is being described as the greatest played by an Indian since Kapil Dev’s 175 not out in 138 balls against Zimbabwe in a league match of the 1983 World Cup. Now flashback 34 years. After winning the toss and electing to bat against Zimbabwe, India posted 266 for eight in their allotted 60 overs.
But this was not before Kapil came in to bat at nine for four (which later became 17 for five, 77 for six and 78 for seven). The Indian skipper not only steadied the ship for his team, but also demolished the Zimbabwe bowlers, in what is still considered to be one of the greatest innings by an Indian captain.
Eventually India prevailed in the match by 31 runs.
Now it may be like comparing apples and oranges if you pit the two knocks against each other considering one has to factor in the era, the opposition, the chances a batsman/ batswoman got and the situation of the match with respect to the tournament.
But it is fair to say that these are possibly the two best knocks played by an Indian cricketer in a World Cup and comparisons apart, we will leave it to you to figure out which one was greater!
Bureau Report
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