The intended topic of discussion should have been the exciting ODI series between Bangladesh and India, in which Bangladesh managed to secure a 1-1 draw against the strong Indian team. However, the focus shifted drastically to Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur due to her actions during the third and final game.
After her dismissal in the 34th over of the chase, she expressed her frustration by smashing the stumps with her bat and engaging in a heated exchange with the umpire. This was the third instance in the match where India disagreed with the on-field umpiring decisions.
Following the match, Harmanpreet strongly criticized the umpiring, stating that they were surprised by the standard of umpiring during the game and would need to prepare better for future matches in Bangladesh.
What truly shocked cricket fans was Harmanpreet’s post-match behavior. During the joint photograph session where players from both teams were called together to celebrate the drawn series, Harmanpreet was seen making derogatory gestures towards the umpires, implying that they influenced the result in favor of the home team. This action led to the Bangladesh players boycotting the photo session in protest.
Nigar Sultana, the Bangladesh captain, expressed her displeasure over Harmanpreet’s behavior, stating that it was entirely Harmanpreet’s problem and that she could have displayed better sportsmanship. Nigar emphasized that cricket is a game that values discipline and respect.
Bangladesh-W captain & her team left the photo session after Indian-W captain Harmanpreet Kaur told them,
— SazzaDul Islam (@iam_sazzad) July 23, 2023
-“Why you are only here? You haven't tied the match. The umpires did it for you. Call them up! We better have photo with them as well.”
BCB to notify BCCI & ICC soon. pic.twitter.com/PnyEQxoYuC
In conclusion, the thrilling cricket series between Bangladesh and India took a backseat as Harmanpreet Kaur’s actions and their aftermath became the center of attention, leaving both teams with mixed emotions at the end of the tournament.