Roots to Glory
By Daniel George
Bengaluru
Years ago at the Guru Nanak College ground in Moga, Punjab, a young schoolgirl with her dupatta tied tightly around her waist bowled with such fire that senior boys struggled to face her. That girl was Harmanpreet Kaur — now India’s first-ever ICC Women’s World Cup-winning captain.
Her first coach, Kamaldeesh Singh Sodhi, vividly remembers that day. Speaking to City Hilights from Adelaide, he said, “This is a dream come true. I only moulded her—she did the rest. Her grit and determination are unmatched.” He recalled spotting her while jogging and being struck by her natural pace and control.
Sodhi, who runs a private school, persuaded Harmanpreet’s parents to let her pursue cricket, assuring them he would take care of her education and training. “She called me right after lifting the trophy to thank me—it was emotional and proud,” he said.
From captaining Moga to the Punjab Inter-District title in 2006 to leading India to World Cup glory, Harmanpreet’s journey has been nothing short of remarkable. Under her leadership, Moga dominated Punjab cricket for nearly a decade. Sodhi fondly recalls an early display of her power—smashing a house window with a massive six in Patiala—an early glimpse of the brilliance that shone in her iconic 171 against Australia in 2017*.
In this World Cup, she led India with calm authority, making tactical masterstrokes like bringing Shafali Verma into the attack during the final. “This was a collective team effort; everyone gave their best,” Sodhi said.
From a determined schoolgirl in Moga to a world champion, Harmanpreet Kaur’s story is one of passion, perseverance, and unbreakable will.