CHENNAI: The story of a 19-year-old Harmanpreet Kaur hitting a massive six against Aussies in 2009 was trending after her spectacular innings against the same team during the Women’s World Cup semifinal on Thursday. Why? Because officials had asked her to undergo a dope test after they couldn’t digest what they saw.
She came clean but that was not the first time she shocked people with her power. When Harmanpreet was representing Gyan Jyoti Senior Secondary School in Darapur, Punjab, something similar had happened. “The girls were playing in an inter-district final and Harmanpreet hit a six that broke the window of a house outside the ground. They started complaining. But when they heard that it was a girl who hit it, they were shocked. They went and congratulated her,” Kamaldeesh Singh Sodhi, who first spotted Harmanpreet, told Express.
Before she established herself as one of the most aggressive batswomen, Harmanpreet was a bowler. Travelling around 22 kilometres everyday, a young Harmanpreet used to play with boys her age and used to get the better of them. Though it was Kamaldeesh who spotted her, she was mentored by his son Yadwinder Singh Sodhi. “She used to take wickets and bowled very fast. But once we understood what she is capable of, the transformation started,” Yadwinder, who is the head coach of Port Adelaide Cricket Club, said.
Harmanpreet’s father Harmander Singh was a clerk. Hailing from Moga (Punjab), she belonged to a middle-class family. Though she started young, her father found it difficult to finance her cricketing dream. So, Yadwinder and his father spoke to Harmander and agreed to sponsor everything (travel, food, kit) because they were so convinced of her talent. “Not many women in Punjab play cricket. But we knew that this girl had something special,” Kamaldeesh said.
Yadwinder’s is a sporting family. His father loves cricket and his mother also used to play hockey. “We love sports and my father was very particular about helping women’s cricket. So we started putting together a team in Gyan Jyoti Senior Secondary School and we found a gem in Harmanpreet,” Yadwinder said.
Harmanpreet’s liking towards Punjabi food also helped in gaining strength. “She used to love eating Punjabi chicken. I hope her knock on Thursday will inspire more girls to take up the sport,” Harmander concluded.
vimalsankar@newindianexpress.com