Emphasising the need to give all players adequate opportunities ahead of the T20 World Cup, India captain Harmanpreet Kaur on Thursday said her side is confident and keen to make the most of the five-match T20I series against South Africa, starting here on Friday.

“We want to take this opportunity very seriously and play our best cricket here. It’s a great chance for us to come together and prepare well before the World Cup,” Harmanpreet said at the pre-series press conference.

India women’s cricket team captain Harmanpreet Kaur on Wednesday (March 25, 2026) said last year’s ODI World Cup crown at home gave the side much-needed confidence and self belief to win win more titles anywhere in the world.

India defeated South Africa in Navi Mumbai to win their maiden ICC title in November last year.

And that achievement has instilled self belief in the side to repeat the feat in the Women’s T20 World Cup, to be staged in the United Kingdom from June 12 to July 5.

“Look, I believe that in any field, you have to do something special, you have to win a title, only then do you get recognition. Otherwise, it feels like all the hard work goes to waste,” Harmanpreet on the sidelines of the naming ceremony of a stand in her honour at the Omaxe Stadium in Dwarka.

“Not just our team, but all the women cricketers before us have put in immense effort, often even spending from their own pockets. So, winning a title was very important. And after achieving that, the response we are getting from Indian fans, the media, and everyone else is a very big thing for us.” Talking about the huge expectations from fans to repeat the feat in this year’s T20 World Cup, the skipper said: “We’ll try our best (to win T20 World Cup). Last World Cup gave us confidence, and now we have the belief that we can win the World Cup anywhere in the world.” India toured Australia recently for a multi-format series, which included three T20Is, as many ODIs and a one-off pink ball Test.

India lost the series 4-12 on points, but according to Harmanpreet the tour was a big learning experience.

“Such a multi-format series should happen because it gives you a lot of challenges. After every week, you have to play a different format, so I think this is a totally different experience.” she said.

“As cricketers, we have never gone through such an experience. Earlier, we mostly played either T20s or ODIs, but playing all three formats together was a bit challenging.” The multi-format series started with the T20s which India won 2-1 before losing the ODI rubber 0-3 and also the lone Test.

Harmanpreet said it was a emotional moment for her to see a stand being dedicated to her at the facility. The stadium however is yet to be recognised by the BCCI.

“There has been no formal confirmation yet, the project is expected to be taken up with the BCCI at an appropriate stage,” said Omaxe MD Mohit Goel when asked if they have approached the BCCI for recognition.

“We have been planning this project for around 18 months. A lot of feedback was taken from spectators, players and officials to ensure smooth movement and better facilities,” Goel added.

Harmanpreet Kaur became the highest-capped player in women’s international ​cricket when she made her 356th ‌appearance for India in Thursday’s (February 19, 2026) Twenty20 ​match against Australia, surpassing ⁠New Zealand great Suzie Bates.

Indian captain Kaur, 36, has now played six tests, ‌161 One-Day Internationals and 189 T20 matches for her ‌country since 2009. Bates, two ‌years ⁠her elder, has not played ⁠for New Zealand since making her 355th international appearance in October during the ODI ​World Cup.

Kaur’s compatriot ‌Sachin Tendulkar holds the record for the most international appearances in men’s cricket, having represented India ‌664 times across formats. Kaur ​has scored eight centuries and 38 fifties for India, and ⁠led the country to their first Women’s World Cup title on home ‌soil in November.

“Harman has been a special player for India. I want to congratulate her for the massive achievement of being the highest-capped women’s player in the ‌history of the game,” India’s head coach ​Amol Muzumdar told reporters.

Kaur was India’s highest scorer with ⁠a knock of 36 as India lost ⁠to Australia by 19 runs in Griffith on Thursday, levelling ‌the three-match T20 series, with the decider set for Saturday (February 21, 2026).

They finally made a match of it, but it still wasn’t enough.

The Sri Lankan women, after being outplayed in the first four outings, tested India with both the bat and ball in the final T20I at the Greenfield Stadium on Tuesday night. The Women in Blue, however, won by 15 runs to complete a 5-0 whitewash.

Chasing India’s 175 for seven, the islanders could only make 160 for seven. Two fine innings had kept them in the chase, but neither Hasini Perera (65, 42b, 8×4, 1×6) nor Imesha Dulani (50, 39b, 8×4) could stay long enough at the wicket.

Their 79-run stand for the second wicket, after the early loss of skipper Chamari Athapaththu, had given the visitor hope. Sadly for Sri Lanka, no other batter made any contribution, as the Indian bowlers came back strongly.

Deepti Sharma’s wicket of Nilakshika Silva was her 152nd and she is now the leading bowler in women’s T20I cricket, going past Australia’s Megan Schutt.

Earlier, captain Harmanpreet’s Kaur’s 68 (43b, 9×4, 1×6) and a late blitzkrieg from Arundhati Reddy (27 not out, 11b, 4×4, 1×6) helped India recover from a shaky start.

The host had a new opening pair, with G. Kamalini making her debut in place of Smriti Mandhana, who was rested. The other opener Shafali Verma has been the leading scorer of the series, but the law of averages caught up with her, after knocks of 69 not out, 79 not out and 79. In the second over, she stepped out to hit Nimasha Meepage over long-on and fell to a tumbling catch by Imesha.

Kamalini, after a couple of promising hits, was trapped in front, trying to sweep Kavisha Dilhari’s first ball.

Harleen Deol then lost her leg stump off Rashmika Sewwandi’s second ball. And India slid to 41 for three in the seventh over.

Richa Ghosh and Deepti didn’t last long either. But in Amanjot Kaur, Harmanpreet found a dependable partner and the two added 61 runs for the sixth wicket.

The Indian captain walked in at 27 for two. Then, half the side was back in the dressing room past the halfway mark of the innings, with just 77 on the board.

But Harmanpreet didn’t seem to bother about what was happening at the other end. She danced down the track against the spinners and never missed an opportunity to show off her hard-hitting skills. Later, Sneh Rana and Arundhati put on 33 for the unbroken eighth wicket. Those runs would prove crucial.

At the midnight hour on a magical Sunday, Harmanpreet Kaur and her incredible women made their tryst with destiny. India was finally crowned world champions in women’s cricket. It was a journey marked by a long history of angst and joy, shaped by the sweat and dreams of pioneers such as Shantha Rangaswamy, Diana Edulji, Mithali Raj, and Jhulan Goswami. In a high-stakes final befitting an ICC World Cup, India prevailed over South Africa by 52 runs at Navi Mumbai’s D.Y. Patil Stadium, which turned into a teeming mass of raucous energy. This moment is as epochal as it was for Kapil Dev and his men in 1983 when they seized the World Cup at Lord’s. That caused a seismic shift in the way cricket was perceived and administered and paved the way for India to become a commercial behemoth. A similar turn of events awaits Harmanpreet and company, and women’s cricket at large. The coach, Amol Muzumdar, too had his moment. A domestic giant, he never got a chance to play for the senior men’s team as his career ran parallel to the likes of Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid. Harmanpreet’s feisty women ensured that their mentor finally understood what it means to prosper at the highest level.

Having faltered in the 2005 and 2017 World Cup finals, India also had to contend with the pressure of playing at home. When three league matches were lost on the trot against South Africa, Australia, and England, the knives were out on social media. Still, the team persevered and every game produced a new star — Pratika Rawal, for instance. In the final, Shafali Verma and Deepti Sharma turned in an all-round show, while Smriti Mandhana was as solid as ever. Earlier, the turn towards glory happened in the semifinal when Jemimah Rodrigues anchored an astounding chase against defending champions Australia. Her unbeaten 127 is one of the greatest knocks in Indian cricketing history. If India performed the giant killing act towards the climactic phase, so too did South Africa, as England discovered in the semifinal. In skipper Laura Wolvaardt, the Proteas have a splendid batter and her two tons in the semifinal and final were high on class and pugnacity. But the biggest takeaway is this: Indian women have found their place on cricket’s biggest stage.

India women’s skipper Harmanpreet Kaur on Saturday (November 1, 2025) welcomed the unusual “pressure” of arranging tickets for their World Cup final against South Africa here, calling it a positive sign for the game’s growth.

The demands and requests for players to arrange tickets for matches have been a constant with the men’s team, and Harmanpreet said she and her teammates were now experiencing something similar after pulling off a record chase to oust seven-time champions Australia.

“You know how it is. There are rarely a few days when there’s pressure for these things,” Harmanpreet told the media on the eve of the final in Navi Mumbai

“I think it’s good that not only [there is pressure related to] cricket but there is pressure for tickets also,” she said.

Recalling India’s campaign in the 2017 ODI World Cup, when they finished runners-up to England, the skipper said: “The last time when we reached the finals, after coming back we saw a big change in India. Women’s cricket has progressed, and we see a lot of girls on the ground now,” she said.

“I’m sure that when we win this final, we will see many more changes and cricket will see more improvements, not only on international level but also on domestic level. We are really looking forward to that moment, where women’s cricket will get more seriousness and more viewership.”

Following the emotional upheaval of the win against Australia in the semifinal, Harmanpreet and other players have largely focussed on recovery and rest.

“The semifinal was a very high-pressure game and very intense. After that, recovery was something which we all paid more attention to, because the fresher we are mentally, that is more important,” Harmanpreet said.

“Skill-wise, we know we have done a lot and now it’s only about keeping ourselves fresh for tomorrow and recovery is something which we all talk about, and everybody is really taking that thing very seriously and hopefully tomorrow we will feel even more fresher for the main game,” she added.

Perhaps for the first time in this home World Cup campaign, Harmanpreet acknowledged having a tough time emotionally.

“As far as the home World Cup is concerned, there are always ups and downs emotionally because it’s tough. But we have been talking that tomorrow’s match is more important because keeping yourself balanced and focused is something which is the key,” she said.

“We are having those sessions where we have been talking about how we can be more focused and more balanced and at the same time keeping ourselves relaxed, because this is the biggest stage and biggest opportunity for us, playing in home condition and that also final match.

Also, for the first time, Harmanpreet broke down in tears after the win over Australia but the India captain said that is something she always does.

“I’m a very emotional person and I cry a lot. It’s not like I cry only after losing. I have cried a lot after winning too. Maybe yesterday (Thursday) you have seen me on television. But my teammates have seen me in the dressing room many times, (even) on small occasions whenever we have done well,” she said.

“Such moments are very important as a player. To beat a team like Australia, which is a big team and has always done well on the world stage and it’s not an easy thing to perform being mentally (so) strong in front of them.”

“But overcoming that hurdle was something very special to all of us. I always tell my team that you don’t need to control your emotions. If you feel like crying, cry. At the same time, just keep enjoying. I think there is no bigger achievement or thing for us, tomorrow is a special day and we will go with the same mindset,” she said.

So has her side planned any special celebrations if they win?

“For big occasions you don’t have to plan anything because that is something we have done in our visualisation and in our dreams many times. It’s only about what you are remembering at that time and what is coming out,” she added.

After a blitz from Nadine de Klerk stole a win from under India’s feet against South Africa at the ACA-VDCA Stadium in Visakhapatnam a few days ago, skipper Harmanpreet Kaur sat quietly, processing the downward spiral.

It was a game India’s famed batting line-up should have put to bed before the fielding effort began.

But the top-order, like it did against Sri Lanka (in Guwahati) and Pakistan (in Colombo), combusted meekly. There’s barely any turnaround time, with defending champion Australia calling here on Sunday.

Centuries from Ashleigh Gardner and Beth Mooney had saved the top-ranked side the blushes against New Zealand and Pakistan, proving the value of having 11 players who can bat. That said, captain and opening bat Alyssa Healy doesn’t think the team will pick being conservative early on.

“The PowerPlay still plays a crucial role in this World Cup. It seems to be throughout the middle overs that some sides have been managing to squeeze oppositions, but I still think if you can get off to a good start and set a platform, that’s going to be really important to putting a good total out there or chasing something down. There’s a bit of a fine balance in that regard,” she explained.

India, too, has been propped up by middle-order rescue acts in every game so far. Worryingly, its top five averages lower (23.13) than SENA teams (South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia) — and therein lies the problem.

Australia’s versatile and effective bowling attack might not allow a recovery if the top five fail again. An alarming number of dot balls (127 balls vs Sri Lanka, 172 vs Pakistan, 184 vs South Africa) is another concern for the Women in Blue.

It might be worth revisiting the team combination ahead of the crucial fixture as India operates with only five proper bowling options. Harmanpreet came in as the sixth in the game against South Africa.

Against an Aussie arsenal that’s packed in both departments, India might want to bring in reinforcements.

India captain Harmanpreet Kaur said her side was 20-30 runs short of what would have been a winning score in the first ODI of the three-match series against Australia in Punjab on Sunday (September 14, 2025).

Harmanpreet said after posting a decent 281 for seven after opting to bat, the hosts failed to cash in on the opportunities that came their way since they dropped four catches in all.

Chasing 282, Australia rode on rode on Phoebe Litchfield’s 80-ball 88 and Beth Mooney’s unbeaten 74-ball 77 to complete the task in 44.1 overs on a day when the Indians left a lot to be desired with their fielding.

Annabel Sutherland also chipped in with an unbeaten 54 in 51 balls.

“We were 20-30 runs short. Our bowlers were trying to create opportunities but we were not able to capitalise on those opportunities. They played really good cricket. They played better than us, but (the) next game is important; we want to stay positive and look forward to the next game,” Harmanpreet said after the match.

The India skipper said her decision was not wrong as the pitch played true in both the innings.

“Both the innings, the pitch played better only. That is why we were able to score 280. (With) a little more positive batting, if we were able to add 20-30 runs and then the opportunities while bowling… those things could have made a huge difference. We will think and analyse the pitch and how we can do better in the next game,” she said.

Asked about the combination of the Indian side, she said, “We will try whatever we have. It was the best combination for us. If you see our last series, spinners did very well. Their batters batted really well and we should give credit to them. (But) as a fielding unit, we were not able to capitalise on the opportunities.”

Australia skipper Alyssa Healy was proud of the team effort of her side. “(It was a) very nice way to start. Credit to the girls. To lose the toss and told to bowl first in the heat… really proud of that effort.”

“It was identified early that that was going to be the case. Taking wickets in the powerplay is important, but you can still get yourself back in the game by bowling smart and that is what our team does well.”

Healy also credited her batters for completing the chase comfortably.

“We want to push the limits when batting first and no different while chasing. We have the same intent, like we are setting a big total. Phoebe was outstanding, and everyone contributed beautifully and kept the scoring rate up,” she said.