Birthday special: Harmanpreet Kaur – Top records held by the Indian captain

One of the most powerful players that the Indian women’s team has ever witnessed, skipper Harmanpreet Kaur has been India’s most bankable player over the years. Taking over the captaincy responsibilities from Mithali Raj, Kaur has led the Women in Blue to immense success over the past few years.

Under her leadership, India finished as a finalist at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2020. They also reached the final of the Commonwealth Games 2022. Under her guidance, the Indian side clinched the Women’s Asia Cup title for a record seventh time in 2022. She also led the side to the semi-finals of the latest edition of the Women’s T20 World Cup.

She has seen immense success during her journey from a young player to an experienced campaigner and she continues to take the Indian side to newer heights.

As Harmanpreet Kaur turns 34, let us look at the top records held by her in international cricket-

5. Most capped player in T20Is

Harmanpreet recently surpassed her male counterpart Rohit Sharma by becoming the player to have played the most number of T20 internationals. Kaur is the most capped player in T20Is not just in India, but across the world as she has represented the national side in 151 T20Is.

4. First Indian woman cricketer to cross 3000 runs in T20I

During the recently concluded Women’s T20 World Cup, Harmanpreet became the first female cricketer from India to surpass the 3000-run mark in T20Is. Overall, she is ranked fourth in the list of players with 3000+ runs in T20Is, after Suzie Bates, Meg Lanning, and Sarah Taylor.

3. Highest score for India in World Cup knockouts

India’s semi-final match of the ODI World Cup of 2017 against Australia was a special one for Harmanpreet, She smashed 171*(115) and led the Women in Blue to a 36-run victory. She notched up her career-best knock and handed India a place in the final of the global event.

2. Most T20I runs for India as captain

Harmanpreet also holds the record for scoring the most T20I runs for India Women as the team’s skipper. Mithali Raj, the former skipper, had scored 2364 runs in 89 matches before retiring from the format.

1. Only Indian Woman captain to score T20I century

During the Women’s T20 World Cup in 2018, Harmanpreet led India from the front. She played a magnificent knock of 103(51) against New Zealand. It was her first T20I century, and with the knock, she became the first and only Indian female player to have achieved the feat. She remains the only Indian women’s skipper to have achieved the milestone.