Harmanpreet Kaur bursts into bhangra while lifting the Women’s T-20 World Cup Trophy: A wholesome BTS peek

“It was Smriti Mandhana’s influence“, says Jemimah Rodrigues.

India Women’s team bags the T-20 World Cup trophy in a five-series match against Sri Lanka. The team is ecstatic, their captain bursts into bhangra as she lifts the trophy.  This moment goes viral on the internet, spreading the spirit of celebration, joy and pride.

A recent episode of The Great Indian Kapil Show hosted by Kapil Sharma, one of the team’s batters, Jemimah reveals that there is actually a sweet backstory to the viral moment.

The teammates highlighted Smriti Mandhana’s influence on this playful celebration by contextualising an ultimatum that Smriti presented to her caption: if she doesn’t do the bhangra while lifting the trophy, Smriti threatened to stop talking to her for life.

Smriti Mandhana was not present on the show herself, but this exchange is a wholesome recollection of that day when the team spent late night hours, celebrating till almost 3 a.m. on the field before it was closed, even seeing the sunrise together.

Jemimah joked that Harmanpreet rarely listens to younger players but even she couldn’t refrain from celebrating this triumph.