New Delhi: India captain Harmanpreet Kaur added another milestone to her illustrious career on Sunday, becoming India’s highest run-scorer in Women’s T20 World Cup history during the team’s opening match against Pakistan at Edgbaston.
Harmanpreet entered the contest level with former captain Mithali Raj at 726 runs. Needing just one run to move ahead, she achieved the feat off her very first delivery, flicking a full toss on middle and leg stump to deep for a single.
The landmark took her tally to 727 runs and counting, making her the outright leader among Indian batters in the tournament’s history. She now sits ahead of Mithali Raj, who amassed 726 runs in 23 innings between 2009 and 2018.
The milestone came at a crucial juncture for India after the team suffered two early setbacks. Opener Shafali Verma departed for six after hitting left-arm spinner Sadia Iqbal for a six before edging the very next ball to wicketkeeper Muneeba Ali.
Jemimah Rodrigues also failed to make an impact, scoring just one run before attempting an ambitious lofted shot off left-arm seamer Tasmia Rubab. The mistimed stroke was eventually caught by Natalia Pervaiz, leaving India under pressure inside the powerplay.
Despite the early wickets, Harmanpreet’s record-breaking moment provided a boost to the Indian camp. The skipper has now scored more than 730 runs in the tournament across 34 innings, including one century and four half-centuries, underlining her longevity and consistency on the biggest stage.
Earlier at the toss, Harmanpreet opted to bat first, saying the Edgbaston pitch looked ideal for batting.
“I think it’s a very good pitch to bat on, so we just thought, let’s bat and set a decent total on the board,” she said.
Reflecting on India’s preparations, the captain added that the team had addressed several areas ahead of the tournament and was eager to carry forward the confidence gained from the previous World Cup campaign.
