Harmanpreet Kaur could be Australia’s undoing

Softly spoken, you wouldn’t suspect the Indian T20 captain could cause a lot of trouble. But the Aussies have felt the full brunt of Harmanpreet Kaur’s force.

Harmanpreet Kaur has exploited Australia before. Pic: Getty Images

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Harmpanpreet Kaur is Australia’s worst nightmare.

Softly spoken, you wouldn’t suspect the Indian T20 captain could cause such trouble.

But the Aussies have felt the full brunt of her force.

Her 171 not out in last year’s one-day World Cup ended Australia’s campaign at the semi-final stage.

She whacked 20 fours and blasted seven sixes.

Harmanpreet Kaur goes to work in last year’s World Cup final. Pic: Getty Images

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“I like to hit big shots - my game is hard hitting and I like to do (it) in practice also,” Harmanpreet said this week.

“I really enjoyed that particular day, but now it’s history.

“It’s a new game for us and I have to start for the very first ball.”

Australia simply had no answers for the 29-year-old from Moga in northern India in what Australian coach Matthew Mott described as a remarkable innings.

“I think she’s quite an imposing player. She uses her feet well, she’s got a high back lift and she comes hard,” Mott said.

She can move well and find the boundary. Pic: Brett Costello

Watch out once she gets going. Pic: Getty Images

“She’s got great levers, she’s got a great backswing … she’s a player who invests a few balls, she’ll take her time to get in and sometimes you’re like ‘when’s she going to go?’ and then she plays one shot and everyone knows that she’s going to go.

“We didn’t have the confidence to change our pace or change our plans and we just kept serving up the same stuff, we just fed her swinging arc.

“Yes, we should have adapted better, but sometimes very good players just have their day.”

Harmanpreet’s heroics in the 2017 World Cup changed the face of cricket.

Not only did it force Australia to rethink its game strategy, it also opened the eyes of India’s all-powerful cricket board who upped player wages and awarded each of them $US67,500 for making the World Cup final.

“This team is doing really well,” Harmanpreeet said.

Australia are still smarting from their World Cup semi-final exit. Pic: Getty Images

“Right now BCCI is doing well for us, we got a lot of things after the last World Cup, especially the young girls. They’re coming (through) , they like to play.”

Harmanpreet is in ominous form at the World T20, posting her maiden T20 century on the opening day of the tournament against New Zealand.

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She was the first India player, male or female, to sign with an overseas league when she debuted for Sydney Thunder in the WBBL in 2016.

She will return to Australia and the Thunder this summer, but first she is looking forward to renewing acquaintances with the Aussie on Sunday morning (AEDT).

“I never think ‘I’m playing against this team and I have to do this’,” she said.

Georgia Wareham is proving useful, keeping Jess Jonassen on the bench. Pic: AAP

“Every game is important for me and every time whenever I go to bat I like to get runs.”

While Australia has already qualified for the Antigua semi-finals, it will want to get on top of the star bat before then.

“She’ll come hard, and there’s no guarantees it will work, but we’ll make sure we’re a lot more unpredictable,” Mott said.

“Their best players, we’re going to put a lot of pressure on in their first 20 balls.”

One form of Australia’s new unpredictability is fresh-faced legspinner Georgia Wareham.

She’s unknown, unfazed, and unflappable.

“I don’t think I’ve ever bowled to her; seeing her tee off the other day was pretty exciting for women’s cricket in general,” Wareham said.

“But I’ll give it a crack.”

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Originally published as Harmanpreet Kaur could be Australia’s undoing