India women’s cricket team captain Harmanpreet Kaur set an inspiring example of leadership on Tuesday by sharing her Player of the Match award with young pacer Kranti Goud, following India’s 13-run win over England in the third and final ODI at Chester-le-Street. The victory sealed a 2-1 series win for India, their second successive ODI series triumph on English soil.
Harmanpreet, who was also named Player of the Series, played a captain’s knock, smashing 102 off 84 balls to help India post a formidable total of 318, the team’s eighth-highest in ODI history. However, it was Kranti Goud’s game-changing six-wicket haul that ensured India successfully defended the target against a determined England side.
In a heartfelt moment captured in a video posted by BCCI Women on X, Harmanpreet said, “I want to share this award with Kranti because she bowled one of the best spells in her career and I think it’s a great achievement as a bowler. We have been crying out for fast bowlers like you.”
She praised the 21-year-old’s maturity and performance under pressure, adding, “For the experience she brought with her through domestic cricket and Women’s Premier League and to execute it here, she deserves to share this award.”
Goud’s 6/52 — her best figures in international cricket — included a fiery opening spell where she dismissed both England openers, Tammy Beaumont and Amy Jones. Her impact continued in the death overs, where she cleaned up the lower order with the wickets of Charlie Dean, Alice Davidson-Richards, Lauren Filer, and Lauren Bell, sealing India’s win in dramatic fashion.
The young medium pacer’s all-round contribution throughout the series marks her as one of the rising stars of Indian women’s cricket. Her performance not only helped secure the series but also showcased the depth of talent India is developing in its pace department, an area that has long been a work in progress for the women’s team.
As India continues to build toward future global tournaments, moments like these, where experience uplifts youth, speak volumes about the team culture under Harmanpreet’s leadership. For now, both the veteran skipper and the promising pacer can celebrate a well-earned victory and a shared piece of cricketing glory.
