Harmanpreet emotional after unbeaten 91 as she rediscovers batting joy in Raipur
Harmanpreet Kaur was visibly emotional in Raipur on Tuesday after an unbeaten 91 off 41 in the third and final Women's T20I against Zimbabwe, saying she wanted to enjoy her batting again and thanking WV Raman for telling her, "Now you do what you want to do." During a mid-innings interview she admitted the encouragement had carried weight and nearly brought her to tears.
At 37, the former India captain has stepped down from the leadership across formats ahead of the Zimbabwe series, with Smriti Mandhana taking over, and her Raipur innings was framed by a desire to rediscover freedom at the crease rather than to make a statement. She said her immediate priority was simply to bat and enjoy time in the middle, reflecting a personal focus on form and confidence.
In the mid-innings interview Harmanpreet said, "Just wanted to enjoy myself, just wanted to bat as long as possible, and glad that I was able to do that." She credited WV Raman, who conducted the interview, adding: "The moment we came, you stepped in and you said, 'Now you do what you want to do,' and that's what I want to do, and really want to enjoy myself. Thanks for those words."
Her innings produced clear statistical impact: Harmanpreet struck 10 fours and five sixes as India posted 216 for seven, and the team went on to win by 92 runs to complete a 3-0 series sweep. The performance was described in the coverage as one of her most commanding recent innings and followed the emotional interview.
Harmanpreet attributed technical work in the nets to her return to form, specifically crediting batting coach Himanshu for focusing on her bat swing after the Women's T20 Asia Cup. "Well, I think bat swing is something which is my key, and I just want to keep doing that, keep repeating that in the nets," she said, and she added that training had been designed to replicate match pressure: "Every time when we met, when we spent time in the nets, he just wants me to keep feeling that same pressure in the nets so that when I'm playing the match, I should not feel any extra pressure, and I think his tactics, his thoughts worked really well."
Harmanpreet described the way the innings began and how it influenced her approach, saying, "Well, I think the first ball when I hit for a four, that time I realised it's a good pitch and bat was coming nicely to the ball and I think I got a lot of confidence from that shot and then I just thought, let me just, you know, keep going and let's see how it goes." At the post-match presentation she returned to the same theme: "I enjoyed myself in the middle. This is what I'm here for. I just want to enjoy my batting and good that those runs came."
One innings cannot erase a difficult run of form, but Harmanpreet's unbeaten 91 was described in the report as a timely reminder of her ability and the value of patience, preparation and support; India now begin a three-match ODI series against Zimbabwe in Vadodara on October 23, offering another opportunity for her to build on the confidence gained in Raipur.