Did Mandhana Celebrate Harmanpreet's Honor at PCA?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Smriti Mandhana congratulated Harmanpreet Kaur on her honor.
- A stand was dedicated to Harmanpreet at the PCA Stadium.
- Harmanpreet is the only active cricketer with a stand named after her.
- The PCA also recognized Yuvraj Singh with a stand.
- Cash rewards were distributed to players and coaches.
New Delhi, Dec 13 (NationPress) - Smriti Mandhana, India's vice captain, extended her heartfelt congratulations to her teammate and captain Harmanpreet Kaur after the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) inaugurated a stand in her honor at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium on Thursday. Along with this, a second stand was named after the legendary former all-rounder Yuvraj Singh.
The inauguration event was presided over by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and PCA President Amarjit Mehta, with notable figures like BCCI President Mithun Manhas and Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria also in attendance.
The BCCI shared a video of the ceremony on their social media platforms, and Mandhana expressed her joy on her Instagram story, stating, “Congratulations @imharmanpreet_kaur!! What a significant day for women's cricket, and I am so proud of you!”
In the video, Harmanpreet reflected, “After winning the World Cup, numerous changes have occurred in my life. However, this moment stands out for me. The ground where my journey began—today, a stand bears my name. This is a proud milestone, and I am immensely thankful to the PCA. Every ounce of hard work and struggle has culminated in this day, making it an emotional experience. I hope everyone watching this finds motivation in it.”
Last month, Harmanpreet made history by guiding the Indian team to their inaugural senior ICC women’s cricket trophy, as the Women in Blue triumphed over South Africa by 52 runs at the D.Y. Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai.
She is now only the third female Indian cricketer to have a stand named in her honor, joining the ranks of cricketing legends Jhulan Goswami (Eden Gardens, Kolkata) and Mithali Raj (ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium, Visakhapatnam). Notably, she is the only active cricketer to receive such an accolade.
During the ceremony, cash prizes amounting to Rs 11 lakh were awarded to Harmanpreet, Amanjot Kaur, and Harleen Deol, while the fielding coach of the World Cup-winning team, Munish Bali, received a reward of Rs 5 lakh.