The Indian women's cricket team captain, Harmanpreet Kaur, is facing severe criticism after her contentious behavior during the third ODI against Bangladesh. In the match, Harmanpreet displayed her frustration by striking the wickets with her bat when she was given out by the umpire.
Uncouth behaviour deserves strict action
Not stopping at that, Kaur openly voiced her dissatisfaction with the umpiring decisions and even made remarks about being prepared for similar umpiring if they visit Bangladesh again. Post-match, she went on to confront Bangladeshi captain Nigar Sultana, suggesting that the umpires were biased in favor of the hosts, which contributed to the series being leveled.
As a consequence of her actions, Harmanpreet is being heavily condemned in the cricketing world, with many considering her behavior as completely unacceptable. Madan Lal, a former Indian cricketer and part of the victorious 1983 World Cup team, strongly criticised Harmanpreet for her conduct, stating that she is not above the game itself. He took to Twitter to express his disapproval and urged the BCCI to take strict disciplinary action against her.
"Harmanpreet’s behaviour against the Bangladesh women’s team was pathetic. She is not bigger than the game. She got a very bad name for Indian cricket. BCCI should take very strict disciplinary action," the 1983 World Cup winner Tweeted.
Furious Hramanpreet smashes stumps
Even Bangladesh captain Nigar Sultana expressed her dismay over Harmanpreet's behavior, distancing herself from the incident and emphasizing the importance of discipline and respect in cricket.
During the match, Harmanpreet attempted a sweep shot against Nahida Akhtar in the 34th over while chasing a target of 226 runs. The ball hit her pad, and the umpire raised his finger in response to a confident appeal from Nahida. Harmanpreet's anger at the decision led her to hit the stumps with her bat, and she continued to express her frustration towards the umpire as she made her way back to the pavilion. As she walked near the boundary, she even gestured with a thumbs-up to the spectators, further escalating the situation.
(To receive our E-paper on WhatsApp daily, please click here.  To receive it on Telegram, please click here. We permit sharing of the paper's PDF on WhatsApp and other social media platforms.)
