The Indian skipper crossed the line by staring at the umpire and belting the stumps in place in uncontrolled anger during the series-deciding ODI against Bangladesh.
Harmanpreet Kaur is known for her passionate outlook and expressive demeanour. But the Indian captain perhaps crossed the line on Saturday (July 22) with a shocking reaction upon the fall of her wicket in the third and final ODI of the series against Bangladesh.
As the veteran right-hander was given out LBW after missing an attempted sweep shot, she couldn’t control her anger and dismantled the stumps with her bat. Insisting that she had got some bat on the ball, the skipper and explosive bat wasn’t one bit pleased with the umpire.
But to hammer the stumps in the fashion that she did was a clear breach of the ICC playing regulations and behaviour code. Harmanpreet Kaur looked at the umpire, turned around to belt the stumps in anger with her willow and then gave the standing official another death stare while gesturing that she had actually hit the ball.
Apart from the fans watching the series-decider in Mirpur, even the commentators covering the game couldn’t believe their eyes as the most experienced head of the side and the leader of the pack behaved poorly in the thick of action, completely losing her temper.
The incident is from the fourth ball of the 34th over in the Indian run-chase. Batting at 14 off 20 at the time and trying to propel India past Bangladesh’s 225/4 made on a sluggish Mirpur track, Harmanpreet Kaur attempted a sweep against left-arm spinner Nahida Akter but seemingly missed the delivery.
Being hit plumb in front, one had assumed the fate is sealed for the right-hander and she was duly given out on the field. But she was personally convinced to have hit the ball on its way to the front pad and completely lost her temper at the sight of the umpire raising his finger.
Rude behaviour from Indian Cricket Women’s captain Harmanpreet Kaur. Pathetic to see hitting the stumps with the bat and gesturing with the umpires pic.twitter.com/lUJulaSh5g
— Abhishek Pandey (@abhishekp100) July 22, 2023
Harmanpreet Kaur being the skipper of the Indian side attracted more eyeraises for her act in the middle after hitting the bat in brash anger and giving the umpire a death stare and gesturing that she feels the ball had hit the bat.
