Indian skipper Harmanpreet Kaur opened up on batter Smriti Mandhana and all-rounder Deepti Sharma, stating that she is grateful these two players play for India. The Women in Blue recorded a mammoth 137-run win over Hong Kong Women in their second clash of the Asia Cup 2026 and extended their winning streak to 2-0. The game saw Mandhana pull off a sensational 64-ball 124-run knock to bag the Player of the Match Award. The Indian vice-captain hit 14 boundaries and seven maximums to break multiple records. Apart from her, Deepti Sharma picked three wickets while conceding nine runs to restrict the rivals at just 56 runs. 

Following the lop-sided win, skipper Harmanpreet Kaur opened up on the brilliant knock of Mandhana as well as the fiery spell of Sharma. She said, “As a captain, I’m grateful that these players play for my country, and leading them is always a great opportunity. Good to see someone like Smriti getting the runs and playing that crucial innings for the team. Deepti keeps doing the hard work whenever the team needs it, and it’s great to see her get the crucial wickets again.” 

I like the way they celebrate on the field: Harmanpreet Kaur Heaps Praise on Hong Kong Team 

In the post-win presentation ceremony, Kaur heaped praise on her rival team and appreciated the way they celebrated. Notably, it was the second time both sides squared off, the first being the Asia Cup clash in Guangzhou in 2012. Lauding the opposite team’s positive spirit, Kaur said, “The one thing I really like about them is the way they celebrate on the field. That’s great learning, because when you keep playing hard cricket, one thing you always forget is to enjoy yourself on the field,” she added. 

Kaur went on to say, “Whenever we see them playing, no matter what the result, they enjoy each and every single moment on the field. That’s great learning for us also.” Interestingly, Kaur was the only member from the 2012 squad against Hong Kong to get featured on Thursday. On the rivals’ side, Mariko Hill and Charlotte Chan were a part of the team.