'I want to accept it': Harmanpreet Kaur embraces life beyond captaincy, says cricket continues to give her happiness

Harmanpreet Kaur wants to keep things simple and let her batting do the talking. The India batter, who struck a magnificent 126 off 121 balls against Zimbabwe in the second ODI in Vadodara on Sunday, said she was focused on enjoying her cricket and accepting reality as she navigates a new phase in her career.Harmanpreet's century, which included 15 boundaries, helped India recover from an early setback and post a formidable 328/6. She shared a 153-run fifth-wicket partnership with Deepti Sharma, who remained unbeaten on 106, as India went on to register a commanding 121-run victory and take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.Speaking after being named Player of the Match, Harmanpreet reiterated that enjoying her batting remained her priority, regardless of the circumstances surrounding her career.“I'm somebody who always likes to live life close to reality, and this is the reality now, and I just want to accept it in whatever way it is. At the same time, cricket is something which has always given me happiness, and batting is something which I've been enjoying throughout my career,” she said.“Today, and whenever I'm going to step in, I just want to enjoy my batting.”Harmanpreet, Pratika keep the approach simpleIndia were in trouble at 19 for two after captain Smriti Mandhana fell for a duck, but Harmanpreet and Pratika Rawal steadied the innings with a crucial partnership. Rawal scored 61 off 67 deliveries, while the pair added 124 runs for the third wicket to put India back on track.Harmanpreet said the plan was to respect Zimbabwe's good deliveries while capitalising on anything loose, with both batters clear about their approach in the ODI format.“Well, today we were playing an ODI format, and in ODI format, you have to act differently. That's what Pratika and I both decided, that we have to respect if they're bowling in the right areas, and at the same time, if we're getting any loose ball, we have to punish that,” she said.“I think it was a very simple and clear message we gave each other, and then just reacting.”The India batter's innings laid the foundation for a record-breaking stand with Deepti, who accelerated through the middle and death overs to bring up her century off 83 balls. Their 153-run partnership was India's highest for the fifth wicket in women's ODIs.‘You want to take responsibility for the team’Harmanpreet also stressed that her focus while batting remained on the team's needs rather than on her own position or role. Asked whether her current form made her miss captaincy less, she said she approached every innings with the same sense of responsibility.“When you're batting, you don't think these kinds of things. When you're batting, you're batting as a batter, and you want to take responsibility for the team,” she said.“I'm somebody who likes to take responsibility and bat according to the situation, and no matter whatever the situation is, I just want to enjoy myself.”Harmanpreet reveals she battled feverDespite spending nearly 45 overs at the crease in the afternoon heat, Harmanpreet revealed that she had not been at her best physically. The India batter said she had a mild fever the previous night and was struggling after returning to the field.“Yeah, definitely. I actually had a mild fever last night. That's why I was struggling when we came back to the field, and I just wanted to, you know, take some rest,” she said.She added that medication was helping and expressed hope that she would recover soon.“I think the painkillers, everything, are helping me, and hopefully I'll come back stronger,'' she signed-off.