As Harmanpreet Kaur battled fever, he relied on painkillers to conquer Zimbabwe

Harmanpreet Kaur put her illness behind her to score a commanding century against Zimbabwe to help India seal the three-match ODI series. a comprehensive 121 run victory in the second match on Sunday in Vadodara. The former India captain revealed she was battling a mild fever and relying on painkillers before going on to score a magnificent 126 off 121 balls to anchor India’s innings after an early collapse.

India were rattled in the first three overs after losing Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma cheaply. Harmanpreet joined Pratika Rawal to anchor the innings and put together a crucial partnership of 124 runs for the third wicket. After Rawal departed for 61, Harmanpreet continued to take charge, combining a fluid strokeplay with poise to register his eighth ODI century.

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“I had a slight fever last night and that’s why I struggled when we came back to the field. I wanted to rest and the painkillers are helping me,” Harmanpreet said at the post-match handing over ceremony.

The former India skipper’s innings featured 15 boundaries, with her shots, cuts and cover maneuvers keeping the Zimbabwe bowlers under pressure. She also benefited from three dropped catches, making the most of her layoffs to produce a match-defining strike. Harmanpreet then shared a 153-run partnership with Deepti Sharma, who remained unbeaten on 106 off 86 balls as India posted 328 for six.

HARMANPREET DOES NOT MISS CAPTAINCY

Harmanpreet, who recently stepped down as India’s captain, has enjoyed batting without the added responsibility of leading the side. Her performance against Zimbabwe highlighted her ability to dictate the course of an innings while adapting to the demands of the situation.

When asked about batting without the burden of captaincy, she emphasized that she remains focused on contributing as a batsman and enjoying her time at the crease.

“When you are batting, you don’t think about these things. You bat as a batsman and you want to take responsibility and bat according to the situation. I want to enjoy batting regardless of the situation,” said Harmanpreet.

Deepti’s century and four wickets from Vaishnavi Sharma helped India bowl out Zimbabwe for 207 in 48.5 overs to seal the series.

The third and final ODI between India and Zimbabwe will be played in Vadodara on Tuesday, October 27.

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