Cricketers of the Week: 16th July to 23rd July

#1 Harmanpreet Kaur

For many pundits, this is the best World Cup knock ever – men and women’s World Cups included. Harmanpreet single-handedly decimated a powerful Australian bowling line-up with the ruthlessness Ricky Ponting had demonstrated against India in the 2003 men’s World Cup.

For many, this was the closure.

In a rain-curtailed 42-over game at their favourite ground Derby, India were in a spot of bother batting first at 101 for 3 in 25 overs. They needed a lot more than that to stave off the Australian batting attack that keeps coming at you.

What ensued was a 137-run partnership with Deepti Sharma in just 82 balls. Harmanpreet ended the innings on an unbeaten 171* off just 115 balls with 20-fours and 7 sixes – almost Lara-esque brilliance.

That was the 5th highest ODI knock ever and the 3rd highest in World Cup matches, but if it were a 50-over game, Harmanpreet likely would have been able to decimate the world record.

India posted 281 in 42 overs and eventually won by 36 runs.