Harmanpreet's secret of success: Hit the ball 2000 times during training

Kolkata: Kamaldeesh Pal Singh Sodhi watched the Derby storm in the TV at his home. His ward Harmanpreet Kaur walloped Australian bowlers for 20 fours and seven sixes en route a 115-ball 171 in the ICC Women's World Cup semifinal on Thursday (July 20). But Kamaldeesh was not surprised.

Speaking from Moga, Harmanpreet's native village, he said: "The cricket lovers all over the world are being ecstatic after watching Harman's stormy innings. She practiced a lot to get her timing of the shots right. She used to bat against hanging ball for hours. Even after the normal practice session at Gyan Jyoti School academy, Harmanpreet did not stop. She hit the hanging ball at least for 2,000 times to get the timing right!"

Kamaldeesh said Harman was devastating with the bat from the beginning. "She took cricket seriously at the age of 14 while studying in Class XI. She immediately entered the district senior team and during a match at Patiala, she hit four sixes, two of the shots broke the window glasses of a house near the ground."

The house owner rushed to the ground but after watching Harmanpreet batting she embraced her and tood her autograph. I will never forget that scene," he said.

"Harman still calls me before every match. Even she called me before the semifinal. I gave her only advice that do not start hitting from the first ball. First try to settle yourself and then start hitting. I used to give her same advice when she was younger."

OneIndia News