Harmanpreet Kaur

Harmanpreet Kaur Bhullar was born on March 8, 1989, in Moga, a city in the Punjab state of India. Growing up in a modest household, she was drawn to cricket from an early age, honing her skills at the Gian Jyoti Academy in Mohali under the guidance of coach Kamaldeesh Singh Sodhi. A right-hand batter and right-arm off-break bowler, Harmanpreet made her international debut in 2009 in an ODI against Pakistan and quickly established herself as one of the most explosive batters in the women's game.

Harmanpreet's defining moment came in the semi-final of the 2017 ICC Women's World Cup at Derby, England, where she struck an extraordinary unbeaten 171 off 115 balls against Australia. This monumental innings, which included 20 fours and 7 sixes, is widely considered one of the greatest individual performances in cricket history regardless of gender. Despite battling a back injury during the innings, she carried India to the World Cup final almost single-handedly, and the knock transformed women's cricket in India, inspiring a new generation of players.

As India's T20I captain, Harmanpreet has led the team with passion and aggression, guiding India to the final of the 2020 T20 World Cup and multiple successful campaigns. She became the first Indian woman to score a century in T20 internationals and has been the backbone of Indian cricket's middle order for over a decade. Recognised with India's prestigious Arjuna Award for her contributions to sport, Harmanpreet has also represented the Melbourne Renegades in the WBBL and the Supernovas in India's Women's T20 Challenge, consistently demonstrating her ability to dominate on the global stage.