Harmanpreet Kaur adds another feather to her cap as she is the most capped player in Women’s T20Is
She surpassed the likes of a decorated list that comprises Suzie Bates, Danni Wyatt, Alyssa Healy, and Ellyse Perry.
Harmanpreet Kaur, the skipper of India, became the most-capped player in Women’s T20Is history. This feat was achieved during the 3rd T20I featuring India and Australia on Wednesday, December 14. Although India didn’t end up on the winning side on such an iconic day for the skipper, her feat remains special.
The legendary cricketer who made her 140th appearance in Women’s T20Is surpassed legends Suzie Bates of New Zealand, who has 139 caps. She also leapfrogged Danni Wyatt (England, 136 T20Is), Alyssa Healy (Australia, 135 T20Is), and Ellyse Perry (Australia, 129 T20Is) on the list.
It was on June 11, 2009, that the immensely talented all-rounder made her debut for India in the shortest format of the game against England in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup. Harmanpreet has had a fantastic career in the T20I format and is known for her massive sixes and aggressive strokeplay down the ground. In 140 T20I matches that she has featured in, she has batted in 125 innings, and Kaur has accumulated 2,736 runs at an average of 27.36 while also scalping 32 wickets. In this format, she has one century and eight half-centuries and a solitary century. She was the first Indian woman to score a T20I century when she scored that unforgettable 103 against a seasoned New Zealand attack in the 2018 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup. Her 51-ball innings included eight enormous sixes and seven boundaries that propelled India to a 34-run triumph over the Kiwis, and it has already gone down in the annals of history for being a legendary knock.
Yet another milestone for Captain Harmanpreet Kaur #INDvAUS 📸Disney+Hotstar pic.twitter.com/GoM5BJwarr
— Female Cricket (@imfemalecricket) December 14, 2022
With a knack for always being the pioneer in setting the benchmark, Harmanpreet Kaur also recently became the first Indian skipper to win 50 T20Is. She boasts a winning percentage of 61.59 while bagging 50 wins in 85 matches. She surpassed players such as MS Dhoni (41), Rohit Sharma (39), and Virat Kohli (30), which is a remarkable feat in itself.
Most wins as an Indian captain in T20Is:
Harmanpreet Kaur – 50*
MS Dhoni – 41
Rohit Sharma – 39#CricketTwitter #INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/wNqEq4Q9Oz— Female Cricket (@imfemalecricket) December 11, 2022
Currently at the forefront of Indian cricket, taking them to greater heights with her astute captaincy and all-round prowess, Harmanpreet Kaur has already proven why she is the perfect successor to Mithali Raj across all formats. It will be interesting to see her lead India in the upcoming bilateral series and the elusive ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2023 that awaits us!
I am a first year postgraduate student pursuing a MA in Media and Communication Studies at Christ University, Bengaluru. I am a podcaster, blogger and an avid cricket fan. When not glued to cricket matches, you can find me submerged in books and thinking about cricket all the time.