Cricket stadiums often echo with competition and pressure but sometimes, it is the lighter moments that leave the strongest impression. Ahead of India’s second T20I against South Africa in Mullanpur on December 11, a brief and cheerful exchange between Harleen Deol and Jitesh Sharma brought smiles to fans watching on and off the field.
As players prepared for the match, Jitesh Sharma crossed paths with Harleen Deol near the boundary. Spotting him from a distance, Harleen Deol jokingly asked him to show respect by touching her feet, playing on the seniority and honour that comes with being a World Cup winner. Jitesh responded with good humour, bowing down as asked, before the two shared a short conversation and went their separate ways. The moment, captured on video, quickly found its way to social media and was widely appreciated for its warmth and spontaneity.
Here is the video:
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Harleen Deol was in Mullanpur as part of a special occasion. She had been invited for the unveiling of a stand named after Harmanpreet Kaur, India’s captain during the historic 2025 Women’s World Cup triumph. The ceremony took place at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, with officials from the Punjab Cricket Association and the state chief minister Bhagwant Mann in attendance. A stand honouring Yuvraj Singh was also inaugurated, celebrating two icons of Indian cricket.
Harleen Deol played an important role in India’s World Cup-winning campaign. Across seven matches, she contributed valuable runs, finishing with 169 from five innings. With experience from 37 ODIs and 26 T20Is, the 27-year-old continues to be a steady presence in the national setup and also represents Gujarat Giants in the Women’s Premier League.
On the men’s side, Jitesh Sharma carried his positive momentum into the second T20I. He pulled off a sharp run-out to dismiss a well-set Quinton de Kock and followed it up with a fighting 27 off 17 balls. With 14 T20Is under his belt and a strike rate above 150, Jitesh Sharma has emerged as India’s preferred wicketkeeper-batter.
As he looks to cement his place ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup, moments like this show that even amid high stakes, respect and camaraderie remain at the heart of the game.
