WPL: Amanjot Says She Feels Fortunate to Be Part of the ‘Harmanpreet Kaur Era’

Navi Mumbai — Mumbai Indians all-rounder Amanjot Kaur lavished praise on captain Harmanpreet Kaur following her match-winning innings against Gujarat Giants at the DY Patil Stadium on Tuesday, as the two-time champions inflicted the Ashleigh Gardner-led side’s first defeat of the season.

Amanjot played a vital supporting role in the successful chase, striking a brisk 40 off 26 balls, before Harmanpreet sealed the contest with an unbeaten 71 off 43 deliveries to guide Mumbai Indians home.

After early setbacks in the powerplay, with G Kamalini and Hayley Matthews dismissed cheaply, Amanjot and Harmanpreet steadied the innings with a crucial 72-run partnership that turned the match in Mumbai’s favour.

“I feel blessed—actually, all of us are blessed—to witness the Harmanpreet Kaur era,” Amanjot said during the post-match press conference. “When she is at the crease, no one feels like relaxing even for a moment. She played an outstanding knock last year as well. Batting alongside her takes away the pressure.”

Although she has not shared many long partnerships with her skipper, Amanjot said Harmanpreet’s presence brought reassurance. “I knew that as long as she was there, I didn’t have to worry about hitting boundaries—she would take care of that. I’ve learnt a lot about game awareness from her. The way she hit that inswinger over cover was exceptional. When she middles the ball, you just know it’s going for six.”

Explaining her promotion to number three, Amanjot said it came due to circumstances. “Unfortunately, Nat missed out due to food poisoning. The team asked if I was comfortable batting at number three, and I was happy to bat wherever the team needed me.”

Reflecting on her mindset during the chase, she added, “It always depends on the situation. We were chasing a big total and lost Kamalini early. With Hayley, the idea was to make the most of the powerplay. When Harry di came in, we decided that I would take on the loose balls. Since it was a big chase, the plan was for one of us to bat till the end—and she did exactly that.”

Amanjot also credited the Mumbai Indians setup for helping her adapt to a finisher’s role. “MI has played a huge part in shaping my role. In domestic cricket, I mostly opened the batting and had never batted as low as number eight. My debuts have gone well, including my first World Cup, and even my comebacks after injuries have been positive. It did take time to adjust, though.”

She highlighted the importance of pre-season camps in clarifying expectations. “Before the WPL, the coaches clearly told us how they saw our roles and what they expected from us. That helped immensely. I knew I might only face 10–15 balls and had to make them count. MI has played a massive role in my development.”

While her batting stood out, Amanjot acknowledged that her bowling still needs refinement. She conceded 48 runs in her four overs, proving expensive despite the team’s win.

“With players like Shabnim Ismail and Jhulan Goswami, along with Nat, Amelia and Hayley, there is always so much to learn. Cricket is a constant learning process. You have to prove yourself every day. I am working hard on my bowling and focusing on consistency,” she said.

With inputs from IANS