Harmanpreet Kaur’s outburst in the third ODI against Bangladesh caused quite a stir, as the Indian captain’s actions and comments received harsh criticism from various cricket circles. After being dismissed, she angrily hit the stumps with her bat and made snide remarks towards the umpires and the Bangladesh team. As a consequence, she was given a two-match suspension and demerit points by the ICC.
Nigar Sultana, the Bangladesh captain, criticized Harmanpreet Kaur for her behavior. She expressed her disappointment with the opposing captain’s conduct. Despite this, it was a significant achievement for Bangladesh to fight back and tie the final ODI, resulting in a series deadlock of 1-1. The Bangladesh team’s level of cricket throughout the series deserved greater recognition from their opponents.
Sultana pointed out that the Bangladesh team deserved more credit and acknowledgment instead of being overshadowed by Kaur’s temperamental behavior and arguments with the umpires. This even extended to the trophy presentation, where Kaur suggested that Sultana call the umpires to pose with the trophy since they played a pivotal role in securing Bangladesh’s positive result in the series.
During a press conference, Sultana expressed her disapproval of Kaur’s attitude as a highly-respected cricketer on the international stage. In an interview with the Daily Star, Sultana reiterated her discontent, stating, “We expected appreciation from them and some words of encouragement which would have motivated our players. But what they did certainly does not leave a good message.” She further explained that making such comments in front of the players was unnecessary and could have led to an official complaint to the match referee.
India seemed poised to secure a comfortable series victory in Mirpur. However, Bangladesh staged a remarkable comeback by dismissing the last six Indian wickets inexpensively, with the final wicket falling with scores tied. This outstanding performance by the Bangladeshi women’s cricket team was overshadowed by Kaur’s reactions, capturing the headlines.
Sultana concluded, “Cricket is a game of discipline and most importantly, whatever we do inspires others. So, we won’t do anything that gives a bad message to others who look up to us. As for the captain of India, whatever happened during the game–whether it was losing temper or showing frustration–was normal, but it was not right to carry that even after the game.”
Sultana added, “We could have lost the game, but in the end, we played better cricket and tied the match.” Harmanpreet’s suspension means she will miss the beginning of India’s Asian Games campaign, with Smriti Mandhana leading the team in her absence.