The BBC released its list of 100 inspiring and influential women from all over the world, which included Michelle Obama, Amal Clooney, Aitana Bonmatí, AI expert Timnit Gebru, Gloria Steinem, America Ferrera and Huda Kattan. The list featured the name of Indian women’s cricket team captain Harmanpreet Kaur in the Entertainment and Sports category, who became the first Indian woman to be named among Wisden's five Cricketers of the Year.
Currently, Harmanpreet captains the Indian team in all three formats of the game—T20Is, ODIs, and Tests—and led the team to a silver medal finish at the 2022 Commonwealth Games. She was also the captain of the Mumbai Indians team that won the maiden Women’s Premier League in March after beating the Delhi Capitals by seven wickets.
Since making her debut in 2009, she has amassed 3293 runs in ODIs, which includes five centuries and 18 half-centuries, with a highest score of 171 runs not out. Under her captaincy, India has lost only once out of 11 occasions, as she averaged 97.50.
In T20Is, Kaur has the record of playing the most T20 internationals to her name with 155 matches in which she has smashed 3154 runs, which includes a ton and 11 fifties. She also jointly holds the record for leading in the most number of T20I matches (100) alongside Australia’s Meg Lanning.
The player who idolises Virender Sehwag became the first Indian player to sign a Big Bash League contract in 2016 with the Sydney Thunders. In the ongoing edition of the Women’s Big Bash League, she has scored 320 runs in 12 innings, donning the Melbourne Renegades jersey.
However, the test at home is approaching Kaur, as India will face England and Australia in Mumbai in December. Harmanpreet will play her first Test match since playing against England in 2021. And this time over, she will not just be one of the players in the playing XI but will also lead the side.
Actress Dia Mirza and photographer Arati Kumar-Rao, are the other Indians in the ‘BBC 100 Women 2023’ list.
