International career
Harmanpreet Kaur was born on 8 March 1989 and is the captain of the India women’s cricket team in all formats. She is an all-rounder. In 2018, she became the first Indian woman to score a century in a T20 International match. Kaur is the only Indian woman cricketer with more than 3,000 runs in T20Is. She is one of three Indian women who have scored over 3,000 runs in Women’s ODIs.
In 2019, during the series against South Africa, she became the first Indian cricketer to play 100 international T20 matches. Kaur also plays for the Mumbai Indians in the Women's Premier League (WPL), where she serves as the captain. Under her leadership, Mumbai Indians became the first team to win multiple WPL titles. In 2017, Kaur received the Arjuna Award from the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports for her achievements in cricket.
2009
- ODI Debut: March 7, 2009, vs Pakistan at Bowral. Harmanpreet made her debut aged 20, bowling 4 overs for 10 runs and taking a catch.
- T20I Debut: June 11, 2009, vs England at Taunton. She scored 8 runs off 7 balls in her first T20I.
2010
- Harmanpreet's ability to hit big was highlighted when she scored 33 runs off 18 balls against England in a T20I match played in Mumbai.
2012
- Harmanpreet captained India for the Women's Twenty20 Asia Cup final in place of injured Mithali Raj and Jhulan Goswami. India won by defending 81 runs against Pakistan.
2013
- Harmanpreet was named the ODI captain for India’s series against Bangladesh. She scored 195 runs in the series, including one century and one fifty, and took 2 wickets.
2014
- Test Debut: August 13-16, 2014, vs England at Wormsley. Harmanpreet played in her first Test match, scoring 9 and a duck.
- Test Match Performance: November 2014, against South Africa, Harmanpreet took 9 wickets in a match, helping India win by an innings and 34 runs.
2016
- Harmanpreet played a crucial role in India’s series win in Australia, scoring 46 runs off 31 balls in the highest-ever chase in T20Is.
- In the ICC Women’s World Twenty20, she scored 89 runs and took 7 wickets in 4 matches.
2017
- World Cup Semi-Final: July 20, 2017, vs Australia at Derby. Harmanpreet scored an unbeaten 171 off 115 balls. It remains the second-highest score by an Indian in Women's ODIs and the highest in a Women’s World Cup knockout match.
- She played a vital role in India reaching the final of the 2017 Women's Cricket World Cup, where India narrowly lost to England by 9 runs.
- In July, Harmanpreet became the second Indian batter to feature in the ICC Women’s ODI Player Rankings' top 10.
2018
- ICC Women’s World Twenty20: Harmanpreet was named captain of India's squad for the West Indies tournament. In the opening match against New Zealand, she became the first Indian woman to score a T20I century, with 103 runs from 51 balls. She was the leading run-scorer for India, amassing 183 runs in 5 matches.
2020
- Harmanpreet was named the captain of India’s squad for the 2020 ICC Women's T20 World Cup in Australia.
2021
- ODI Milestone: In March 2021, Harmanpreet became the fifth Indian woman cricketer to play 100 ODIs.
- In May, she was named vice-captain of India's Test squad for a one-off match against England.
2022
- Harmanpreet was named in India’s squad for the 2022 Women’s Cricket World Cup in New Zealand.
- Commonwealth Games: In July, she was appointed captain of India’s cricket team for the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England.
2024
- Harmanpreet was named captain of the India squad for the 2024 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.
- She was also named captain for India’s home ODI series against New Zealand in October 2024.
Leagues Participation
Harmanpreet Kaur has participated in several major leagues over the years. She was part of the Women's Big Bash League from 2016/17 to 2018/19, playing for Sydney Thunder. In the 2021/22 season, she moved to Melbourne Renegades, where she continues to play.
In The Hundred, she first joined Manchester Originals in 2021 and has been with Trent Rockets since 2023.
Harmanpreet also plays in the Women's Premier League, where she became part of Mumbai Indians in 2023 and continues to represent them.
Harmanpreet Kaur made history in 2016 when she became the first Indian cricketer to be signed by an overseas Twenty20 franchise, joining Sydney Thunder for the Women's Big Bash League. She played with them until 2018, contributing significantly to the team’s performances. In 2021, she moved to Melbourne Renegades, where she became a key player, earning Player of the Tournament honors in the 2022-2023 season. Harmanpreet has continued to shine for the Renegades, with notable performances in the 2023 and 2024 seasons.
Women's Big Bash League
Year
|
Team
|
Notes
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2016/17–2018/19
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Sydney Thunder
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Became the first Indian cricketer to be signed by an overseas T20 franchise.
|
2021/22–present
|
Melbourne Renegades
|
Signed in September 2021, named Player of the Tournament in 2022-2023, leading in points and wickets.
|
2023
|
Melbourne Renegades
|
Played a key role in a match against Sydney Thunder, scoring 81 runs off 55 balls.
|
2024
|
Melbourne Renegades
|
Helped the team set a total of 175/4 against Sydney Thunder with 81 runs off 55 balls.
|
The Hundred
Harmanpreet Kaur was drafted by Manchester Originals in 2021 for the inaugural season of The Hundred. She played three games, scoring 104 runs before having to withdraw from the tournament due to an injury. In 2023, she joined Trent Rockets after her contract was signed on March 23 during The Hundred draft. Having previously played for Manchester Originals, Harmanpreet now represents Trent Rockets in the competition.
Year
|
Team
|
Notes
|
2021
|
Manchester Originals
|
Played 3 games, scored 104 runs, withdrew from the tournament due to injury.
|
2023–present
|
Trent Rockets
|
Signed on March 23, 2023, continuing her career in The Hundred with Trent Rockets.
|
Women's Premier League
In February 2023, Harmanpreet Kaur was bought by Mumbai Indians for ₹1.80 crores during the inaugural Women's Premier League (WPL) auction. As captain, she led the team to victory, securing the first-ever WPL title. In 2024, despite her leadership, Mumbai Indians faced elimination, with Harmanpreet noting her dismissal as a turning point in their defeat. However, in March 2025, she made history again by becoming the first captain to win multiple WPL titles. Under her leadership, Mumbai Indians triumphed over Delhi Capitals in the final, with Harmanpreet scoring 66 runs and contributing to a team total of 149. She also became the first Indian athlete to reach the 500-point mark in the WPL.
Year
|
Team
|
Notes
|
2023–present
|
Mumbai Indians
|
Bought for ₹1.80 crores, led the team to the inaugural WPL title in 2023.
|
2024
|
Mumbai Indians
|
Led the team to elimination after a key dismissal in the WPL 2024.
|
2025
|
Mumbai Indians
|
Became the first captain to win multiple WPL titles, leading Mumbai to victory in 2025.
|
Domestic career
Harmanpreet Kaur started playing domestic cricket for Punjab State from 2006. In the early years, the opportunities for women cricketers were limited. She had to balance her cricket with studying and working. In 2014, she moved to Mumbai and joined Indian Railways, which helped her focus more on cricket. She played for the Railways team until 2017. After that, Harmanpreet started playing for clubs around the world. In 2023, she became the captain of Mumbai Indians women’s team in the first Women's Premier League and led them to win the title.
Records and achievements
Harmanpreet Kaur has set numerous records in her cricket career, becoming a trailblazer for Indian women’s cricket. Her remarkable achievements in international tournaments, both as a player and as a captain, have earned her widespread recognition. Here are some of her major records and milestones:
- 2017: Scored 171 (115) against Australia in the Women’s Cricket World Cup semi-final, setting the record for the highest individual score by an Indian in Women’s World Cup history.
- 2017: Registered the highest-ever individual score in a knockout match of a Women's World Cup, surpassing Karen Rolton's previous record of 107.
- 2017: Became the second Indian batter to feature in the top-10 of ICC Women’s ODI Player Rankings.
- 2020: Appointed as the captain of India's team for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in Australia.
- 2021: Became the fifth Indian woman cricketer to represent the country in 100 ODIs during a match against South Africa.
- 2023: Led Mumbai Indians to victory in the inaugural Women's Premier League (WPL).
- 2025: Became the first captain to win multiple WPL titles, leading Mumbai Indians to their second WPL championship.
Personal life
Harmanpreet Kaur is not only a successful cricketer but also has a life off the field that reflects her achievements and passions. Her personal life includes a supportive family, a successful career, and her love for cars and bikes. She also has a dedicated fanbase that follows her closely across social media platforms. Below is a summary of key aspects of her personal life:
Finance
As of 2024, Harmanpreet Kaur's net worth is estimated at ₹24 crore (around $3 million USD).
Family
Harmanpreet was born on March 8, 1989, in Moga, Punjab, to Harmandar Singh Bhullar, a former volleyball and basketball player, and Satwinder Kaur, a homemaker. She has a younger sister, Hemjeet, who is a post-graduate in English and works as an assistant professor at Guru Nanak College in Moga. Her father, who works as a clerk in a judicial court, was an aspiring cricketer and the first person to coach Harman when she started playing. Harman was inspired by Virender Sehwag in her early cricketing days.
Harman claims to have earned a Bachelor of Arts from Chaudhary Charan Singh University, though an investigation found no records of her enrollment. Reports suggest she may have studied at Hans Raj Mahila Maha Vidyalaya in Jalandhar.
Cars and House
In 2024, Harmanpreet owns a house in Mumbai and a bungalow in Patiala, her hometown. She is an avid car and bike enthusiast, owning a brand new Datsun Redi-Go Sports car, gifted after her iconic 171 in the 2017 Women's Cricket World Cup semi-final. She also has a customized vintage Jeep and a Harley Davidson motorcycle.
Scandals
In July 2023, Harmanpreet Kaur found herself in the spotlight for breaching the International Cricket Council's (ICC) code of conduct. After an outburst during the final ODI of the Bangladesh series, she was fined 75% of her match fee and received four demerit points, leading to a two-match suspension. The incident arose after she hit the stumps with her bat and publicly criticized the umpires. She became the first women’s player to receive a Level 2 sanction under the ICC’s publicly listed code of conduct breaches.
Fans
Harmanpreet has a strong presence on social media with over 2.3 million followers on Instagram and around 900 thousand followers on Twitter. She actively engages with her fans, sharing updates about her matches, training, and personal life. Her fanbase continues to grow, and in 2023, she thanked supporters after the Women's T20 World Cup semi-final, promising to come back stronger.