Harmanpreet Kaur, Indias T20 captain and the first cricketer from the country - male or female - to play in Australias Big Bash League, won the player-of-the-match award playing for Sydney Thunder with a four-wicket haul followed by an unbeaten 21-ball 30 against Melbourne Stars on Tuesday. It followed up her unbeaten 28-ball 47 on debut for Sydney Thunder - a knock that earned praise from Australia great Adam Gilchrist - less than 24 hours after she landed in the country, and marked herself out as one of the early pace-setters in the tournaments second edition.2016 has already been a path-breaker for Harmanpreet. She began the year in Adelaide, playing a pivotal role in India winning their first-ever bilateral series in Australia. Then en-route Australia for her maiden Womens Big Bash League season for Sydney Thunder, Harmanpreet captained India to their sixth Asia Cup crown, in the shortest format. Now, having come back to where it all began, she has already made everyone sit up and take note.Coincidentally, her brush with top-flight cricket also began in Australia - quite a journey from Moga, a small town north of Chandigarh, to Bowral in New South Wales, where she made her international debut at the 2009 Womens World Cup. Before she embarked on that trip, she sought out Virender Sehwag when their paths crossed at the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore.Bat fearlessly, bat as if you have no worries in the world. Even if you are under pressure, act as if you arent, because bowlers will always try to unsettle you anyway, Sehwag is said to have told her. Those words resonated during her second ODI innings, where she sashayed down the pitch to muscle Australias Ellyse Perry for six. Harmanpreet ended up playing a match-winning cameo.Former India captain Mithali Raj, who has seen Harmanpreets rise from a puny teenager bustling with energy to being a mature deputy, acknowledged that shot not just won India the match, but also reflected the immense self-confidence of a 20-year-old who was rated so highly by those who watched her in junior cricket. Its one thing scoring runs in domestic cricket. Its another to hit the worlds best for six, Raj said. The power, the finesse, the timing - they saw it all.Her game borders on the aggressive, a trait she has had right from the start. Whats different now is her maturity, which shone through when she waited for over a month to ink the deal with Thunder. Many others may have immediately jumped on to the opportunity when it was first put forward, but Harmanpreet, who waited for a nod from the BCCI, weighed her options. She received offers from three teams in all, including Sydney Sixers, runners-up in the inaugural season. She eventually signed with Thunder only after being convinced she would get enough match time.Having made a mark and set a benchmark, expectations are bound to increase. Harmanpreet, however, is willing to embrace it like she said in a flash interview. I like to play under pressure. I like the responsibility. There will be more expectations, so it will be more challenging now, but Im ready.Last January, she sat and watched the Womens Big Bash League final from her hotel room in Adelaide. This year, she has an opportunity to be at the centre of it all. Pittsburgh Pirates Shirts . PETERSBURG, Fla. Pittsburgh Pirates Store . LOUIS -- Attorneys for the St. https://www.cheappiratesjerseys.us/ . LOUIS -- Roman Polak was celebrating even before Alexander Steen scored the winning goal in Saturdays 4-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes. Pirates Jerseys 2019 . 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AUSTIN, Texas -- Shaka Smart will start his second season as Texas coach a bit short-handed.Mareik Isom, a senior forward expected to be an important reserve, will miss a few weeks after undergoing arthroscopic surgery for a bacterial infection in his left ankle, Smart said Monday.Sophomore guards Kerwin Roach Jr. and Tevin Mack, both competing for starting positions, will also miss Wednesdays exhibition against Angelo State for violating unspecified team rules.It was a matter than occurred months ago, but obviously we havent played games, Smart said. Its important for us to provide accountability for our guys.The 21st-ranked Longhorns open the regular season on Nov. 11 against Incarnate Word. Smart would not say if Roach and Mack will play in that game, only that they will be back soon.Isom is one of four Longhorrns who play center or power forward.ddddddddddddHe averaged 6 points and 2.7 rebounds per game last season at Arkansas-Little Rock before transferring to Texas. The likely starting big men are 6-8 senior Shaq Cleare and 6-11 freshman Jarrett Allen.Roach averaged 7.5 points last season as a reserve. He might be the starting point guard this season, but freshman Andrew Jones is also in the mix. Both are combo guards who have not played the point exclusively, Smart said. Mack averaged 5.1 points as a wing or power forward when Smart used smaller lineups.Texas finished 20-13 last season, losing to Northern Iowa on a buzzer-beating, half-court shot in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. ' ' '