Harmanpreet Kaur overtakes Meg Lanning for most wins as Women’s T20I captain

Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur added another feather to her illustrious career by becoming the most successful captain in women’s T20I cricket, overtaking Australian great Meg Lanning in terms of most wins as skipper.

Harmanpreet achieved the milestone during the third T20I against Sri Lanka, where India sealed the five-match series 3-0 with an eight-wicket victory at the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram. The match was also historic, as it marked the first-ever women’s international fixture at the venue.

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With this win, Harmanpreet now has 77 victories in 130 T20Is as captain, registering a win percentage of 58.46, alongside 48 losses and five no results. She surpassed Lanning, who led Australia to 76 wins in 100 matches, losing just 18 games, with one tie and five no results.

In the match, Harmanpreet contributed 21 runs off 18 balls, including two boundaries, while Shafali Verma continued her sensational form with a blistering 79 not out off 42 balls, smashing 11 fours and three sixes. It was Shafali’s second successive fifty, and she has now amassed 333 runs in eight T20Is this year at an average of 55.50 and a strike rate of over 173, including three half-centuries.

India’s bowlers laid the foundation earlier after the hosts won the toss and opted to field. Sri Lanka were restricted to 112/7 in 20 overs, with Imesha Dulani (27 off 32), Hasini Perera (25 off 18), and Kavisha Dilhari (20 off 13) being the only batters to cross the 20-run mark. Renuka Singh starred with the ball, returning figures of 4/21.

Deepti Sharma smashes records

Deepti Sharma (3/18) etched her name into the record books as the spin all-rounder became the first Indian across men’s and women’s cricket to claim 150 T20I wickets. Her 151st scalp in the match also saw her become the joint-highest wicket-taker in women’s T20Is, drawing level with Australia’s Megan Schutt. With her overall tally rising to 333 international wickets, Deepti further cemented her legacy by becoming the third-highest wicket-taker in women’s international cricket, surpassing Australia great Ellyse Perry.

Chasing a modest target, India raced home in just 13.2 overs, riding on Shafali’s explosive knock and a steady contribution from Harmanpreet, to complete a comprehensive eight-wicket win.

Having already guided India to their first-ever ICC Women’s World Cup title, Harmanpreet will now look to add another historic achievement by leading the side to their maiden Women’s T20 World Cup crown, with the tournament scheduled to be held in the UK in June-July next year.