Harmanpreet Kaur has played a significant role in the astronomical rise of women’s cricket in India. Her blistering batting and leading the team from the front powered India to the finals of the ICC World Cup in 2017 and ICC T20 World Cup earlier this year. Recently, Harmanpreet Kaur revealed the name of her idol and whom she used to copy growing up.

The T20I skipper has played a couple of landmark knocks in the last few years. In the 2017 World Cup semi-final against Australia, the Punjab-born’s 115-ball 171* took the Women in Blue to the final. In the 2018 World T20 in the West Indies, she became the first India women’s batter to notch a T20I ton and she accomplished the feat against New Zealand.

Harmanpreet Kaur reveals her idol

Harmanpreet Kaur knows only to attack the bowlers just like her idol Virender Sehwag. The cricketer from Punjab said she started playing the sport because of Sehwag and also copied his strokes.

“I used to copy his shots while batting at the ground. His cut shot was so lethal, the ball would go for a boundary or a six if he was offered width. I prepared myself accordingly for my game. He might not know this but I practised a lot because of him, it was my dream to become like him,” Harmanpreet said while speaking to Harsha Bhogle on Cricbuzz. 

“I have always followed him. I was so fond of his batting that I used to be more nervous about his batting than him before every match,” Harmanpreet added.

Meanwhile, Harmanpreet Kaur last featured in the T20 World Cup in Australia earlier this year. So far, she has represented India in two Tests, 99 ODIs and 114 T20Is, scoring 26, 2,372 and 2,186 runs respectively.