NEW DELHI: Two penalty shootout attempts, when compared, can tell the story of Harmanpreet Singh's transformation from a player who virtually thought of walking away to becoming one of the world's best defenders and, now, the recipient of India's highest sporting honour -- the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award.
At the 2023 World Cup in Rourkela, an all-at-sea Harmanpreet tried to beat the New Zealand goalkeeper Leon Hayward in a one-on-one shootout without even getting near him. He missed, India lost and the skipper received majority of the flak for his repeated failures on drag-flicks.
